TRIGGER WARNING SUICIDE
One of the newer legal processes in Canada and promoted by our federal government within the past decade is the MAID statute. MAID stands for medical assistance in dying. One of its main promoters is the charity “Dying with Dignity. Like abortion it is a very controversial topic.
As of today if you have a medical condition that is fatal, progressive / degenerative or affects your quality of life and has no cure you likely qualify. Mental health conditions alone do not qualify which some argue is a form of discrimination and others argue is for their safety. The question remains if this is a Human Rights issues, being perpetrated by the federal government. Since Canadas liberalism towards Indigenous, LGBT+, Muslims (Carneys speech after election that “Muslim values are Canadian values”).
However a large percentage of people using it are lower class and don’t have access to care that would make it easier. The fact it has a shorter waiting period than getting therapy covered by OHIP does not help either. It was also put into effect and made easier around the same time that Ontario and several other provinces made social assistance harder to get. This makes it seem that this is a way to get rid of people on assistance and bring down “liabilities”.
There were several people in the earlier days with environmental allergies and living in housing that exacerbated their health, with no way out. They were approved for MAID and went to the media beforehand.
My question is if we can legalize MAID why punish people for suicide? And if we as a country believe in being Pro-Choice for abortion why is suicide is any form grounds to lock someone up.
Further who are we as a society to pick and choose who we let check out for any reason. As a religious Jew, I do not think I would promote either abortion or suicide to anyone. There are times when you are allowed or even required to have an abortion, such as if it’s endangering your life according to the Torah (Bible).
That being said everyone should be allowed to make their own decisions and choices. As someone who has experience with suicidality no one should ever judge what they simply can’t understand or impose their belief on anyone else.
I write this today after seeing many articles and arguments from both sides. As a paralegal if I was ever asked to help someone through the courts to get MAID approval, I would absolutely do so. Though it is illegal to help someone commit suicide in any other way.