Government officials in Alberta are considering policy changes that could affect the way Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), Canada’s legalized euthanasia program, is implemented.
According to the National Post, possible changes could include “a public agency to oversee the MAID process,” a way for families to dispute a MAiD approval, eligibility limits, and a framework for sharing confidential MAiD information.
The policy changes are being considered to try to ensure that MAiD requests aren’t being approved inappropriately, especially in the wake of several nationwide cases in which family members claim a loved one was approved for MAiD even though the patient was not fully cognizant of his or her decision.
In one such instance earlier this year, a father brought his fight to a Calgary court after he said his daughter should never have been approved for MAiD, because she had autism and suffered from mental illness. A judge ultimately ruled in the daughter’s favor, but in other instances, courts have intervened to stop such deaths from being carried out. The disparity shows the potential for abuse the can happen once assisted suicide or euthanasia is legalized, especially among vulnerable populations and those with mental illness.
READ: Social scientist warns how assisted dying policies enable ‘healthcare serial killers’
“I’m deeply concerned about abuses when it comes to assisted suicide and its regime within Alberta,” said Dan Williams, Alberta’s minister of mental health and addictions. “I want to make sure that especially those who are vulnerable — those who are disabled, those who have mental-health challenges — are protected, and I don’t want to see a class of citizens that are dispensable because they’re vulnerable.”
The proposed changes come at a time when MAiD is seemingly out-of-control in Canada; data increasingly shows that such deaths in the country are skyrocketing, while headlines repeatedly share stories of people who have felt that they should seek MAiD because they cannot get the social services or health care they need. In Ontario, a bombshell report found that hundreds of MAiD deaths were performed in violation of the law.
The Alberta government is running a public consultation until December 20 to gain feedback on any proposed policy changes. All Alberta citizens are encouraged to take the survey and offer their input.
“We recognize that medical assistance in dying is a very complex and often personal issue and is an important, sensitive and emotional matter for patients and their families,” said Mickey Amery, the Alberta provincial minister of justice and attorney general. “It is important to ensure this process has the necessary supports to protect the most vulnerable. I encourage Albertans who have experience with and opinions on MAID to take this survey.”
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