Status: Passed the House of Commons and the Senate
Description: Proposes to delay the expansion of eligibility for euthanasia to those with mental illnesses until 2027. Bill C-7, the last substantial piece of euthanasia legislation, had a sunset clause that would allow those with mental illnesses to be eligible for euthanasia in 2023. While the government delayed the implementation of this clause until 2024 in Bill C-39 and then rejected Bill C-314’s proposal to scrap that clause entirely, this bill would delay that expansion until March 17, 2024. That’s after the next scheduled election
Analysis: It is incomprehensible that our society provides suicide prevention to one class of citizens and assisted suicide to another class of citizens. The extension of assisted suicide to those with mental illness effectively means that assisted suicide is a perfectly legitimate solution to suicidal ideation. Instead of offering assisted suicide to those with mental illnesses, we need to provide better mental health care and support to those who are suffering.
Action Items: Visit CareNotKill.ca for more information on all of these action items:
- Advertise on city buses or billboards
- Send an EasyMail
- Distribute Care not Kill pamphlets around your neighbourhood
- Write a letter to the editor
- Sign a petition
