Canada is set to begin permitting MAID for patients with mental illness on March 17, 2027.megaflopp/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Catholic leaders are urging the federal government to bar the availability of medical assistance in dying for patients living with mental illness, which is set to take effect next March.
This week, the Archbishop of Toronto wrote to directly to Prime Minister Mark Carney, as well as to other members of Parliament, outlining his concerns about the expansion of MAID.
Under existing federal law, patients can only qualify for MAID if their deaths are deemed reasonably foreseeable or if they have an incurable condition, such as neurological challenges or chronic pain.
On March 17, 2027, Canada is set to begin permitting MAID for patients with mental illness. The federal government could delay this timeline, as it has already done twice, but it would need to introduce a bill to do so.
In his letters, the archbishop, Cardinal Frank Leo, called for Mr. Carney and MPs to support a private member’s bill, Bill C-218, that would amend the Criminal Code to bar MAID from being provided when mental illness is the sole underlying condition. The bill was introduced by Conservative MP Tamara Jansen last June and is currently at second reading in the House of Commons.
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Archbishop Leo appealed to Mr. Carney to “choose life not death.” Mr. Carney, a Catholic, has not publicly shared his personal views on MAID.
“I would also urge you and the Minister of Justice to consider measures that restrict any further expansion of assisted suicide in our country and instead prioritize investments in palliative care, mental health support and resources for those who are increasingly marginalized and isolated, especially seniors and Canadians living with disabilities,” Archbishop Leo wrote.
In February, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops also wrote a letter in support of Ms. Jansen’s bill and called on Catholics to express their support for the same.
The national assembly of bishops urged the government to “allow free conscience voting on this matter, given its profound moral and social implications.”
Late Thursday evening, Audrey Champoux, the deputy director of communications to Mr. Carney, shared a statement that said the “safety and wellbeing of all Canadians, especially those who are vulnerable, is our government’s top priority.”
Ending life with the help of a medical professional has long been the subject of controversy in Canada. In recent months, several cases have landed in court and have generated growing calls for reform, including from an Ontario mother of a 26-year-old who struggled with mental illness and other medical conditions and who was approved to die by MAID in British Columbia.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said last month that her government wants to shut down MAID for patients living with incurable conditions and only permit it when patients are facing death within a year.
The province’s legislation also proposes that MAID would not be allowed when mental illness is the sole underlying condition.
Over the past month, a special joint committee of parliamentarians has been hearing testimony about how the federal government should proceed in allowing patients with mental illness to access MAID. The committee must submit its report to Parliament by early October.
Jocelyn Downie, a professor emeritus at Dalhousie University’s faculties of law and medicine, is among witnesses who have testified. She sees barring patients with mental illness from accessing MAID as a breach of their Charter rights.
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Prof. Downie has many concerns about the committee’s hearings to date, including that patients who cannot currently access MAID have not been able to testify. The selection of witnesses has not been impartial, she said, adding that nine individuals who are not opposed have appeared, compared with 18 opposed.
Claire Brosseau, an actress and comedian who lives with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress, is currently fighting the government in court over MAID for patients living with mental illness.
In August, 2024, Ms. Brosseau filed a lawsuit with advocacy organization Dying with Dignity Canada in Ontario Superior Court. She argues her rights are being violated because she cannot legally access the procedure.
“Bipolar disorder has revoked my ability and privilege to live with dignity,” Ms. Brosseau has said. “I’m asking for the chance to die.”