“Canada’s voluntary euthanasia program called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) became legal in 2016. The program is part of Canada’s healthcare system. To receive euthanasia, patients experiencing intolerable suffering must sign a written request expressing their wish to end their life. In 2021, more than 10,000 people chose euthanasia, an increase of over 32% from the previous year, accounting for 3.3% of all deaths in Canada. According to the latest report on Medical Assistance in Dying from Health Canada, 17.3% of people also cited ‘isolation or loneliness’ as a reason for wanting to die. In 35.7% of cases, patients believed that they were a ‘burden on family, friends or caregivers.’ The law has been amended to make the program available to people whose death is not medically foreseeable. It was also amended to include those with dementia who may not be able to understand the implications of their decision. The decision to access medically assisted suicide will also be for people whose only medical ailment is a mental issue. This amendment will go into effect next year. Though the Canadian program is described as ‘Dying with Dignity,’ the government has a financial interest in promoting medically assisted suicide. According to a study published in the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association, doctor-assisted death could lower annual healthcare spending across the nation by between $34.7 million and $136.8 million.”
“As Canada expands its euthanasia program,” Israel365 News, Nov. 13, 2022
