The moral outcry against MAiD expansion to mental health is growing
Raise your voice, make some noise, let's not be silent
The Christian Post published my article about the expansion of MAiD in Canada this week.
The moral outcry from Canadians is being heard. This week at the Liberal Party’s cabinet retreat, signs that MAiD expansion to mental health is the “bridge too far” for assisted suicide started to appear in the news.
Canada’s health minister acknowledged that health leaders across the country have made it clear they don’t think Canada’s ready to expand MAiD for mental health as a sole condition.
Let’s hope we never are.
Watch the docuseries MAiD in Canada for free at UnveilTV.
Did you know?
A group of Canadian psychiatrists recently warned that doctors who assess and approve assisted suicide on the basis of mental health “will be wrong over half the time…and will instead provide death to marginalized suicidal individuals who could have improved.”
University of Toronto professor Sonu Gaind, who appears in UnveilTV’s documentary MAiD in Canada, warned the parliamentary committee in November that:
There remain no meaningful safeguards to prevent vulnerable and marginalized individuals, who could get better, from getting MAiD during periods of despair and suicidality fueled by mental illness.
~ Source: Global News
What can we do? Keep making noise!
Last year, I emailed every Member of Parliament in Canada to ask what they think about expansion and to share my concerns. Many responded, and the responses accurately lined up with the ways that parties voted in November on the private members bill that aimed to stop MAiD expansion to mental health:
Conservatives, who introduced the bill voted to stop expansion.
NDP voted to stop expansion.
The Bloq voted against the bill and helped defeat it to ensure MAiD expands.
Liberals also voted against the bill and helped defeat it, paving the way for expansion to mental health (although seven MPs voted against their party).
This week, while I’d rather be working on Book 3 in my YA series and focus on something light, adventurous, hopeful, I’ve decided to dedicate time to reaching out to Liberal MPs and writing about the issue.
I don’t know if it’s “too little too late,” but let’s take the news coverage this week as an encouraging sign that minds can be changed. If you read my article in the Post, you’ll read about the irresponsible assurances MPs give to average Canadians that people with depression will never receive MAiD (claims I think they make honestly out of ignorance, though naively). If the people voting for culture-changing, life-ending policies are this misinformed, well, God help us.
I want to invite you this week to reach out to your MPs and encourage them address this critical issue as we approach the deadline for expansion to mental health on March 17.
Reach out - go @ them!
If you want to further engage, I’ve put together a list of every Liberal MP in Canada alongside their X handle (formerly Twitter). I’ve also put together some copy, links and stats that can help support your outreach.
I don’t know what will happen. We may make no traction or impact. We may get no likes or retweets. But at least we’ll do what’s in our hands to do. Go over and check in on me. (And @ me on X if you’re engaging so I can repost you).
I’d rather crowd my feed with posts in the next few days than be silent. I think the majority of Canadians don’t really want MAiD to expand to include mental health and would scale it back (even more) if they could. So why not continue to try to influence that? !
If you're one of those concerned people out there, I encourage you to raise your voice! Your words can inspire, encourage and shine light in darkness.
Together,
~AK
If you feel despair or walking through mental health struggles like depression right now, there is help.
There are people around you and in your community that will help. If you have thoughts of suicide, please remember you are not alone, and that many people have gone through what you’re experiencing and found help. Talk to someone you trust about how you feel.
If you need help right now because you think you might harm yourself, you can call 9-8-8 (in Canada) or get helpful resources here.