Public input on MAID

[Charmaine Jones]

I hope everyone is aware of the 2 week window for public input on possible revision to MAID? www.justice.gc.ca. I thought it was a well designed questionnaire and it doesn't take too long to complete.

[Toby Stewart]

Thanks Charmaine --

I personally found the questionnaire to be a bit simplistic and limited in both its potential scope of expanded criteria... and also in its 'piling on' of additional "safeguards" for probable insertion into the Criminal Code (which makes MAID outside of the so-called-expanded criteria and safeguards a crime).

I am a passionate advocate of de-criminalizing MAID altogether -- when a competent human chooses to determine the time place of their death -- and opts for ethical MAID as their chosen means, I assert that government should not be involved in any way.

With the current severe restrictions (beyond the Supreme Court's Carter decision), even those possible loosened restrictions to the Criminal Code do not come close to free choice.

One aspect of the consultation questionnaire which I did appreciate -- was that beyond the limited 'multiple choice' questions, there was an opportunity to provide personal comments. I'm going to attach mine below -- in the interests of promoting discussion among our members.

Thanks again for starting this theme.

https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cons/ad-am/index.html
Consultations on medical assistance in dying (MAID) eligibility criteria and request process
3. Do you have any other comments you want to share about possible safeguards for people who are eligible for MAID, but not at the end of life?
The issue is not whether we need more of these so called "safeguards" -- the problem is that the existing criteria are already too narrow and the existing and proposed safeguards are too intrusive!
What is needed is to de-criminalize MAID all together. It should be left to each individual's choice... and the means to euthanize oneself should be readily available and affordable for everyone at whatever time of their choosing... and no one assisting them should be subject to any persecution or prosecution for having done so.

3. Do you have any other comments you want to share about allowing MAID to be provided to a person who has an advance request but is not able to consent to MAID at the time of the procedure?
My will is an advance directive to my executor regarding my estate. It is executed by law without question after I die -- whether or not I was able to confirm its provisions in the hours before my death.
Why should my advance directive for my personal wish to die via MAID not similarly be acceptable in law -- whether or not I was able to confirm its provisions in the days and hours before my death.
I wish to die at a time and place and by means of my own choosing -- that should not be illegal!

1. Do you have any other comments you want to share that have not been covered in the discussion so far?
I implore our elected representatives to revoke the restrictive MAID provisions in the existing criminal code.
I request that I and all Canadians be permitted to take my own life at the time and place of my own choosing, by the means of MAID.
If this option is denied us, then we may choose to end life by more violent means... which could cause ongoing traumas to bystanders, or equipment operators (eg. bus drivers), and possibly to our bereaved survivors.
Our blood could be on your hands...

[Toby Stewart]

I almost forgot... even though the questionnaire has the option to write comments beyond the limited multiple choice options,

there's no indication as to whether or how responding citizens' comments might be incorporated into whatever final draft amendment to the Criminal Code may be brought to Parliament for consideration.

I do recall a charge levied against other governments' window-dressing consultations ... "They put the CON in Con-sultation!"