Canada moves to block mental-illness MAID expansion and adds advance-request clause
The government intends to permanently bar mental illness as a sole reason for medical assistance in dying and to allow provinces to decide on advance requests, prompting criticism from health experts.
Five years after Parliament altered Canada’s assisted-dying law, the government now proposes to permanently exclude mental illness as a sole condition for MAID and to let provinces determine whether advance requests are permitted. This follows the recent defeat of Bill C-218, which attempted to eliminate the term “mental disorder” from eligibility criteria. Critics, including senior fellow Ramona Coelho, say the new bill’s wording is vague and that a pause is not a repeal, leaving the risk of future expansions.
The case of Thomas Dillon, who received MAID despite untreated mental health issues, illustrates systemic shortcomings. Disability groups urge the repeal of Track 2, which allows non-dying persons with disabilities to access MAID. Adding advance-request provisions, set to expire in March 2027, revives concerns about uninformed consent and potential misuse of the law.
Why it matters
The proposal reshapes Canada’s assisted-dying framework, affecting vulnerable patients and provincial health policy.
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