The special joint committee on medical assistance in dying (MAID) has released its latest report, taking a thoughtful path to a simple recommendation: that the Canadian government amend the Criminal Code to indefinitely exclude persons whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness from MAID eligibility.
A Philosophical and Medical Debate
The report explores whether doctors can accurately distinguish between mental illness and suicidality. While this debate is intriguing, Chris Selley argues it is not particularly relevant to the question of who should be eligible for euthanasia, which the federal government has postponed twice. The committee considered another delay but rightly rejected it, as those suffering with mental illness deserve clarity.
Suicidality and Mental Illness
Suicidal behavior is not technically considered a mental illness, but it is intertwined with such conditions. Research from 2002 indicates that 98% of those who committed suicide had a diagnosable mental disorder. Dr. Jitender Sareen noted that suicidal ideation is part of the diagnostic criteria for many mental disorders, making it a core psychiatric issue.
Dr. Sandip Singh Gandham warned that some requests for assisted dying may reflect the voice of the illness itself rather than an autonomous, enduring choice. He stressed that if people seek MAID due to lack of access to dignified living conditions, it is a failure of care, not a triumph of autonomy.
Parliament's Responsibility
Selley concludes that while Canada's inability to provide proper health care is troubling, it does not justify death-by-government. The committee did its job; now Parliament must act to exclude mental illness from MAID eligibility permanently.
