Submitted by the Men’s Breakfast
We have all heard of MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) and many of us have friends, family and/or acquaintances who have undertaken the procedure. We all have opinions for and against, whether personal, religious or otherwise.
Sue Rodriguez had ALS, a disease which comes with a death sentence. She was the first in Canada to publicly raise the prospect of having control over her life and went to court to assert her ‘right to die’. The Supreme Court of Canada denied her request in 1993 in a 5 to 4 decision. This was revisited by the Court in 2011 with a unanimous decision upholding 61 yr old Gloria Taylor’s similar request; In May 2017, Ontario approved the right to die.
Aging and/or illness can lead to a loss of control, something none of us want. MAID reasserts some sense of control and Dr. Harpur noted that, when approved for the procedure, most experience a sense of control and reduction of stress. Prior to this, doctors were left in a precarious situation where despite patient and family pleading, they could only attempt to control pain.
MAID is available for cases where patients are in a Reasonably Foreseeable Near Death (RFND) situation. Dr. Harpur explained that MAID is not about killing people; “nature is doing that”. It’s about relieving/ending suffering. Requests involve a detailed assessment of the patient including confirmation of RFND; that the patient was not coerced into having the procedure; and that the patient has the capacity to make the decision.
Once approved, there is a 10-day waiting period (which could be waived) and the patient can change the date or cancel the procedure at any time, including while the process is underway. It is generally performed in the home, but may also occur at a hospital depending on circumstances. If a reassessment is required, then capacity to decide is also reassessed. MAID involves a wide number of health care and administrative personnel including significant reporting.
In 2024 there were 22,535 requests, however some died of their illness, were ineligible, or just didn’t follow-up, leaving 16,499 or approximately 5% of deaths in Ontario. The number has levelled off in recent years, thus not considered a “slippery slope”. The 5% is also similar to other jurisdictions. There are a number of resources available for those looking for more information.
The next Men’s Breakfast will be held March 14th. Please contact Steve at mensbreakfastnsbp@ gmail.com, if you plan to attend.
