The phrase “permanent solution to temporary problems” reminded me of Canada’s government sanctioned solution.
The Canadian government has sort of gone “all-in” with it’s assisted suicide program, termed MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) which has expanded in scope several times since it was initially passed in 2016.
Initially, Maid was fairly limited. Patients had to have a serious illness or disability, be in irreversible decline, experiencing unbearable physical or mental suffering, and at the point where natural death was reasonably foreseeable.
The reasonably foreseeable requirement was removed in 2021. The latest discussion is regarding extending those eligible to include “mature minors” and those with mental disorders (and no accompanying physical illness). The Atlantic has a pretty thorough article on the topic.
In 2021, 3.3% of all deaths in Canada were due to MAid.
Some of the headlines are pretty remarkable:
- Why is Canada euthanizing the poor?
- How Poverty, not pain, is driving Canadians with disabilities to consider medically-assisted death
- Paediatric euthanasia in Canada: New challenges for end of life care (From the National Library of Medicine)
- Paralympian trying to get wheelchair ramp says Veterans Affairs employee offered her assisted dying
- Canada will soon allow medically assisted dying for mental illness. Has there been enough time to get it right?
- First, Do No Harm: New Canadian Law Allows for Assisted Suicide for Patients with Psychiatric Disorders (Psychiatric Times)
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