As of March 17, 2023, Bill C-7 will be expanded to include access to medical assistance in dying (MAID) for any adult 18+ who is struggling with mental health.

Allowing individuals who suffer from mental health access to medical assistance in dying (MAID) when there has been no attempt at fixing the dreadful state of our current healthcare system is deplorable.

By expanding Bill C-7 to people with mental health, broader factors such as social isolation and a lack of access to quality social services could become a prompt for anyone with mental health to access medical assistance in dying. An example of this is a 54-year-old Ontario man who is currently in the process of applying for medical aid in dying (MAID) due to being in danger of losing his home and possibly having to become homeless. The 54-year-old has already received approval from a physician who signed off on the man’s request for access to MAID, stating that the 54-year-old “meets the criteria due to physical suffering from a disability that is intolerable and cannot be relieved." (Toronto City News, October 13).

This petition is not disputing the free will of a human being to choose to end their life. This petition is to give anyone who is struggling with their mental health and want to end their life an opportunity to receive the best quality care and treatment possible before having to make a choice. Which, at this time, our current healthcare system fails to provide.

It is time for a fundamental overhaul of our mental healthcare system.

It's time to start removing barriers to accessing mental health services.

It’s time to start investing in providing quality healthcare rather than signing off on a person’s right to life. 

This petition calls for the Government of Canada to stop the expansion of Bill-C7 to individuals with mental health until they can commit to providing Canadians with quality social services and mental healthcare services to those who need them. Any discussions on the matter of providing access to MAIDS for people with mental health should include actual people with mental health of all ages and diverse backgrounds, as it is paramount for individuals with mental health to have their voices heard in the process of drafting any laws, policies, and regulations with regards to their rights to life.

I need as many signatures possible from Canadians to be able to bring this issue to the House of Commons. Please read, sign, and share the petition to as many different social platforms as you can to raise awareness.