Ottawa Open to Further Pause of MAID Expansion, Justice Minister Says

A bed in need of cleaning is moved in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at St. Paul's hospital in downtown Vancouver, Canada, on April 21, 2020. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press)

The federal government has said it is considering whether to extend a pause on expanding assisted dying rules.

It would be the second time Ottawa has paused expansions that would allow those with mental health issues to access medical assistance in dying (MAID) services. In February, Ottawa put a one-year pause on the expansion.

Justice Minister Arif Virani said on Dec. 14 that the government was considering its options for the expansion. Mr. Virani said that cabinet will consider the input of a joint parliamentary committee, as well as medical experts and other stakeholders.

“We'll evaluate all of that comprehensively to make a decision whether we move ahead on March 17, or whether we pause,” he told The Canadian Press in a wide-ranging interview.

Both options are “on the table,” he added.

Canada currently has very liberal MAID laws, and more and more vulnerable individuals are opting for the procedure, including a B.C. man who was not able to get treatment for his cancer.

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In 2022, the number of people opting for MAID deaths rose by 31.2 percent, accounting for more than 4 percent of deaths, according to Statistics Canada. That equates to 13,241 MAID deaths last year. That’s up from 10,029 MAID deaths in 2021 and 7,446 in 2020.

The government said that 463 of those were for individuals whose natural death was not reasonably foreseeable, which was the original measure of those eligible for the procedure.

Groups opposed to the further expansion say the practice is dangerous and can lead to the death of people who can otherwise recover from dark periods in their lives with proper care.

Recovered mental health patient Anike Morrison said at an event organized by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition in October that after the death of her brother, she had “several traumas and stressors,” and may have chosen to end her life through MAID. But thanks to the medical help she received, she recovered.

“I’ve completed my undergraduate degree, I’ve travelled, I’ve gone on a mission trip. And most importantly, I love my life, I enjoy my life, and I feel as though I’m on the other side of that dark period,” she said.

Lee Harding contributed to this report.