Stop MAiD expansion for mental illness
Petitioners ask the Government to stop the scheduled 2027 expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying to people whose sole diagnosis is a mental illness, protect vulnerable people, and pass Bill C-218.
Why we would sign this petition
- It halts MAiD for people whose sole diagnosis is a mental illness, addressing petitioners' safety concerns about preventable deaths among vulnerable individuals.
- It aligns with many psychiatrists' stated opposition and their view that the expansion cannot be implemented safely.
- It forces parliamentary action, since only an Act of Parliament can stop the scheduled 2027 expansion.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- It would deny some people with severe, treatment‑resistant mental suffering an option they consider autonomous and compassionate.
- It could leave individuals to endure intolerable suffering or seek riskier alternatives if MAiD is categorically barred.
- It may foreclose targeted solutions; increasing mental‑health supports, safeguards and individualized assessments could address risks without an outright ban.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: • Eligibility for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is scheduled to expand to allow those with solely a mental illness to receive MAiD, beginning in 2027; • The vast majority of licensed psychiatrists in Canada are against this expansion and believe it cannot be safely implemented; • Many preventable deaths will happen if this expansion takes place; • Only an Act of Parliament can stop this scheduled expansion. Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: • End the expansion of MAiD where someone's sole diagnosis is a mental illness; • Protect the vulnerable and those with mental illness instead of offering them MAiD. • Pass the Right to Recover Act, Bill C-218.
Government response
No government response is available yet.