On January 13, the Minister of Justice, David Lametti announced the beginning of a review to revise MAID. It’s really in two parts – the first is a questionnaire to be included with the study of the Should be Should be Quebec Superior Court’s Ruling (Gladu and Truchon – September 2019). The Prime Minister has already announced the Federal Government will not appeal the Quebec Court’s decision and will look at ways to remove ‘other restrictions.’ The second part will begin in June and anything can happen. The study will encompass the Canadian College of Academies(CCA) report of last December. CCA had been commissioned to present problems(no suggestions nor solutions) respecting MAID’s exclusion of minors(under 18), those with mental health problems, and people with dementia.
I don’t expect a quick review (I may not live long enough).
As you might expect, I have prepared my recommendations based upon the need for MAID to be simpler, more caring, and administered with the dignity and privacy it deserves. My submission follows.
Thank you Ron — for your coherent brief to the CON-sultation.
I would like to share my own assertive to its online request for comments:
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cons/ad-am/index.html Submitted 15Jan2020
Consultations on medical assistance in dying (MAID) eligibility criteria and request process
3. Do you have any other comments you want to share about possible safeguards for people who are eligible for MAID, but not at the end of life?
The issue is not whether we need more of these so called “safeguards” — the problem is that the existing criteria are already too narrow and the existing and proposed safeguards are too intrusive!
What is needed is to de-criminalize MAID all together. It should be left to each individual’s choice… and the means to euthanize oneself should be readily available and affordable for everyone at whatever time of their choosing… and no one assisting them should be subject to any persecution or prosecution for having done so.
3. Do you have any other comments you want to share about allowing MAID to be provided to a person who has an advance request but is not able to consent to MAID at the time of the procedure?
My will is an advance directive to my executor regarding my estate. It is executed by law without question after I die — whether or not I was able to confirm its provisions in the hours before my death.
Why should my advance directive for my personal wish to die via MAID not similarly be acceptable in law — whether or not I was able to confirm its provisions in the days and hours before my death.
I wish to die at a time and place and by means of my own choosing — that should not be illegal!
1. Do you have any other comments you want to share that have not been covered in the discussion so far?
I implore our elected representatives to revoke the restrictive MAID provisions in the existing criminal code.
I request that I and all Canadians be permitted to take my own life at the time and place of my own choosing, by the means of MAID.
If this option is denied us, then we may choose to end life by more violent means… which could cause ongoing traumas to bystanders, or equipment operators (eg. bus drivers), and possibly to our bereaved survivors.
Our blood could be on your hands…
Thanks Toby for your thorough and excellent response. I’m just about to enclose a “plea’ on the website that I’m going to send to Lametti. I’ve sent it already to number of supporters I have on my email list. This website is really a repository for good about MAID or dementia. I really communicate bt email .. rnsposno@gmail. I check it several times a day and try to be current. Not so with the website, unfortunately. Please go to my email.
Ron
Absolutely! But please put such direction through your Power of Attorney for Health. You might check my paper called “My Eight Conditions.