Stop MAID expansion for mental illness
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to support Bill C-218 to prevent the March 17, 2027 expansion of medical assistance in dying to people whose sole medical condition is a mental disorder.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would bar MAID for people whose only medical condition is a mental disorder, fulfilling the petitioners’ request to exclude mental illness as grounds for MAID.
- It prioritizes expanding and improving mental-health supports instead of offering MAID to vulnerable individuals.
- It seeks to protect vulnerable people by reducing the risk that suicide becomes normalized as a response to mental illness.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- It would restrict choices for patients with enduring, treatment‑resistant psychiatric suffering, raising concerns about patient autonomy and access to relief.
- A legal prohibition alone may not create or fund improved mental‑health services, so practical care gaps could remain.
- Changing eligibility could produce difficult clinical and legal disputes about who qualifies, causing unintended consequences for patients and providers.
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 Whereas: Medical assistance in dying will expand to Canadians with mental illness on March 17, 2027, unless Parliament intervenes; Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that supports are in place for the mental health of everyone in Canada; Vulnerable Canadians must be given suicide prevention instead of suicide assistance; Medical assistance in dying risks normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness; Canada should focus on increasing mental health supports and improving access to these supports instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness; Bill C-218 seeks to provide that a mental disorder is not a grievous and irremediable medical condition for which a person could receive medical assistance in dying; Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: Support Bill C-218 and stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those with mental illness.
Government response
No government response is available yet.