Wilberforce Project Executive Director Cameron Wilson said the tale of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada is a dark one, but it is one that needs to be told. While the Canadian government had delayed legalizing MAiD for mental illnesses, the Alberta government has now been tasked with putting together the system that will administer its new track. “To help them make these critically important decisions, the Government of Alberta is asking for feedback from the public in the form of a survey,” said Wilson in a Thursday email to Wilberforce Project supporters. “Pro-life Albertans must take 10 minutes out of their day to fill out the survey.”The Canadian government paused the part of its MAiD program allowing people with no physical illnesses to be killed by the healthcare system. Ostensibly, it took this step to give the provinces the chance to create a process to ensure the system is not abused. However, Wilson said people know this is a farce. He said MAiD “has not gone down a slippery slope; it went off a cliff.” Every year, thousands of people are killed through it, and the number of deaths increases every year. Canada had 5,665 deaths through it in 2019. Meanwhile, it had 7,611 deaths through it in 2020, 10,092 in 2021, and 13,241 in 2022. He pointed out it is “hard to believe that the government that introduced and celebrated this ethical cataclysm is seriously concerned about safeguards.” Instead, Wilson said a better explanation for the pause is the world has noticed. Even in Europe, he said Canada is seen as a cautionary tale. “This type of public engagement can make a significant difference in protecting vulnerable people from the sanctioned suicide program,” he said. The Alberta government said Albertans can share feedback on the processes for and oversight of MAiD in the province in a survey open until December 20. “We are gathering feedback on the medical assistance in dying (also referred to as MAiD) processes and regulation in Alberta to ensure they are consistent and that there is enough oversight in place to protect vulnerable Albertans,” said the Alberta government. “Medical assistance in dying is a complex and often personal issue.” Some of the changes it said it wanted to hear from people about were the creation of a new public agency and legislation to provide oversight, the creation of a MAiD decision dispute mechanism for families and eligible people, a framework for appropriate sharing of confidential medical information related to its determinations, and limitations on criteria for its eligibility and on it as an option for patients. It is a process that allows people who are found eligible to receive assistance from a medical practitioner in ending their lives. The Alberta government said on November 18 it was seeking public input on MAiD policies through an online survey open until December 20..Alberta launches public engagement on assisted suicide policies .The consultation aims to gather feedback to inform legislative and policy decisions surrounding it, particularly about vulnerable people such as those with disabilities or mental health challenges.Alberta’s review focuses on ensuring consistent processes and robust safeguards to protect vulnerable people.
