Allow advance MAID directives
Petitioners ask the House of Commons to allow advance directives for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) for Canadians diagnosed with dementia, with clear safeguards and review mechanisms to honour prior consent.
Why we would sign this petition
- Recognizes and enforces a person's prior consent, allowing their end-of-life wishes to be followed even after loss of capacity.
- May prevent prolonged suffering and loss of dignity for people with progressive dementia by providing a lawful option aligned with their earlier choices.
- Includes safeguards and review procedures to reduce errors and ensure decisions reflect genuine prior wishes, balancing autonomy and protection.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Removes the requirement for contemporaneous consent, risking irreversible procedures when the person cannot confirm current wishes.
- Designing, interpreting and verifying advance directives for dementia is complex and may lead to inconsistent application or legal disputes.
- Raises ethical and protection concerns about coercion, inadequate oversight, or pressure on vulnerable patients and families.
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 in Parliament assembled Nine years ago, my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Wanting to preserve his dignity and autonomy, he applied for and was initially approved for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). But when his condition progressed to the point where he would have chosen to proceed, he could not longer make express his wish; A year ago he entered long-term-care - something he has clearly hoped to avoid. He no longer knows my name, though he still recognizes me. Most days he does not know our children, grandchildren, siblings or friends. He wanders the halls or sits quietly and we lose a bit more of him each day. This is a reality for many families living with dementia, whose voices go unheard under current legislation; Canada's MAID law requires individuals to be mentally competent at the time of the procedure, overlooking the unique circumstances of those with dementia; Advance requests - made while a person is still capable - should be recognized to honour their wishes and prevent prolonged suffering; This is not just personal, it is a national issue affecting countless families forced to watch loved ones endure a life they never wanted; With clear safeguards, advance MAID requests can offer dignity, compassion and choice - ensuring Canadians with dementia have a voice in their end-of-life care; and It is time for our laws to reflect the compassion our healthcare system strives to protect. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to allow advance directives for MAID for Canadians diagnosed with dementia.
Government response
No government response is available yet.