A new poll of Canadians finds deep divisions on issues regarding medical assistance in dying (MAiD), but broad agreement religious hospitals should not be forced to provide it.The poll by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute was made in partnership with Cardus. Where a health-care facility affiliated with a religion which objects to MAiD, three-in-five Canadians (58%) feel if a patient requests a medically assisted death, they should be transferred elsewhere. One-quarter (24%) feel the facility, despite its objection, should be forced to provide MAiD.Manitoba had the strongest support for a religious institution’s right-of-refusal at 65%, while 19% believed it should be mandatory, leaving 16% unsure. Quebec had the least support for religious refusals at 47%, as 35% of Quebecois say the facility should be forced to provide MAiD despite religious opposition.The religious perspectives of those polled did not affect their opinion much. Among 1,000 Christians polled, 61% believed the patient should be moved from a religious facility, compared to 56% in other religions and 54% of atheists. However, there was less uncertainty for the remainder of atheists, as 33% believe the hospital should be forced, compared to 20% of Christians and 19% in other religions.Earlier this year, a terminally ill BC woman entered palliative care at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver. After being approved for MAiD the woman was unable to receive it at St. Paul’s because the hospital is affiliated with a Catholic health organization, which opposes MAiD. Instead, she was transferred to another facility to receive a medically assisted death.Euthanasia advocates are considering a court challenge against the agreement between the BC provincial government and religious health organizations which allows their facilities to opt out of providing MAiD.When it comes to individuals, however, Canadians seem less accommodating of moral or religious objections. Seven-in-ten say a doctor morally opposed to MAiD should be required to make a referral for it if a patient requests it, while three-in-ten disagree. Agreement was highest in Quebec at 76% and lowest in Alberta, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada at 63%.A majority across regions and demographics say such referrals should be necessary, but vary somewhat with age, sex, and political affiliation. Men are more likely than women to believe doctors opposed to MAiD should not have to make referrals for them. Males 35-to-54 years old (42%) are more likely to have this view than those older or younger.Support for forcing such referrals is lowest among Conservative voters at 57% and highest for NDP voters at 85%. Liberal voters expressed 80% support, while Bloc Quebois voters had 75% support.These opinions align with judicial decisions. In 2018, an Ontario court ruled doctors who have moral or religious objections to treatments and procedures such as MAiD were required to refer patients to a colleague who would provide the procedure. This followed a challenge from some doctors who argued that referring for procedures such as MAID violated their charter rights to freedom of religion and conscience.The survey was made online of a randomized sample of 1,872 adults between September 19 and 22.
