6. Media Lines / Questions and Answers (MLQA)

Media Lines

Proposed delay of eligibility for medical assistance in dying for persons suffering solely from a mental illness until March 17, 2027

February 1, 2024

Context: Health Canada / the Minister of Health will be leading, with the support of Justice Canada / the Minister of Justice, a new Bill proposing an extension to the temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID for persons suffering solely from a mental illness. Significant media attention is expected. A NR and SM have also been drafted.

Departments will respond to the following topics:

Health Canada: Delivery of MAID and health care services, Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness, and monitoring regime.

Justice Canada: MAID law (Criminal Code).

Questions on AMAD: Answers could be fielded by either department, as it depends on the question asked.

Key Messages:

General:

On delaying the expansion of MAID for mental illness:

On mental health:

Questions and Answers:

On legislation to extend the mental illness exclusion:

Q1. Why does the government believe more time is needed before allowing those who are suffering solely from a mental illness to be eligible to receive MAID? Will the health care system be ready by the proposed date?

The Government of Canada has made significant progress in advancing work to support practitioners in assessing MAID eligibility in complex cases. This includes supporting the development of model practice standards; supporting the creation and roll-out of a national accredited MAID curriculum; and making amendments to the Regulations for the Monitoring of MAID to enhance data collection in relation to MAID cases.

However, through its engagement with health system partners, the Government of Canada has heard that provinces, territories, and health care delivery systems are at various stages of readiness for lifting the exclusion.

Additionally, on January 29, 2024, the Special Joint Committee on MAID (AMAD) tabled its report MAID and Mental Disorders: The Road Ahead regarding the degree of preparedness for the safe application of MAID for persons whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness.

While recognizing that considerable progress has been made in preparing for the expansion of eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness, AMAD recommended that it not be made available in Canada until the health care system can safely and adequately provide MAID for these cases.

The bill proposes an extension, until March 17, 2027, which would allow more time for provinces and territories, and their partners, to prepare their health care systems. This could include developing policies, standards, guidance, and additional resources for their MAID assessors and providers. In addition, this extension would provide practitioners with more time to participate in training and become familiar with available supports, guidelines, and safeguards. The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories and health care stakeholders to support the safe implementation of MAID, by:

The Government of Canada is also proposing that a joint parliamentary committee undertake a comprehensive review relating to the eligibility for MAID of persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, within two years after the Act receives royal assent. This measure would further serve to examine progress made by provinces, territories, and partners, in achieving overall health care system readiness.

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canada’s MAID system reflects the needs of people in Canada, protects those who may be vulnerable, and supports autonomy and freedom of choice. A measured and thoughtful approach is being taken with the expansion of MAID to ensure readiness.

Q2. This is the second time that the government is proposing to extend to a specific date. Why not wait until the system is ready and then determine the date?

It is important to establish a concrete deadline so federal, provincial, and territorial governments and healthcare stakeholders can be fully prepared to implement the expansion of the MAID system. It also provides reassurance for potentially eligible people in Canada that this option would become available in the future.

The Government of Canada recognizes that mental illness can cause the same level of suffering as that of physical illnesses. However, the safety and security of people who may request MAID remains at the forefront of the government’s actions. It is for that reason that the government has proposed to further extend the exclusion. The Government is confident that this measure would provide provinces, territories and health system partners with the time needed to fully prepare for the lifting of the exclusion.

Q3. Why is an additional delay needed given the supports that were identified as necessary by the Expert Panel and the Special Joint Committee are now in place?

Important work has been done to ensure that doctors and nurse practitioners have the necessary professional guidance and training to appropriately assess and provide MAID in complex cases, including those involving only a mental illness. Given the complex and sensitive nature of this issue, it is crucial that the public and health care practitioners have confidence in the system and awareness of the measures put in place to strengthen its protections.

There has been considerable interest in the MAID curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers (CAMAP), with just over 1100 doctors and nurse practitioners having registered for the program since its launch in August 2023. However, it will take time for this training to be integrated into the practice of individual practitioners.

In addition, while work is complete on the development of model practice standards and some provinces have successfully integrated them into their guidance documents, others are still in the process of reviewing and updating their standards. These standards provide advice for medical and nursing regulatory bodies and doctors and nurse practitioners on how to assess MAID requests for complex cases. More time is needed to undertake this work.

More time would also provide the Government of Canada the opportunity to work with provinces and territories to explore other measures recommended by the Expert Panel and the Special Joint Committee, such as more robust oversight and review mechanisms. The next three years would provide an opportunity to fully realize the benefits of these collective efforts and provide additional clarity and assurances to people in Canada and practitioners.

Q4. What actions has the government taken since March 2023 to prepare for the lifting of the temporary exclusion of MAID eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness?

The Government of Canada has been working closely with provinces and territories and health system partners to help support the implementation of the MAID system since its inception. In preparation for the lifting of the temporary exclusion of MAID eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness, the Government of Canada has supported a range of initiatives towards preparedness, guided by the recommendations from previous AMAD reports and the Expert Panel, as well as the need to protect those who may be vulnerable.

This includes:

Q5. Drug addiction is considered a mental illness. Will the expansion include people suffering from addiction as part of the mental illness category?

MAID is only available for those who are assessed as eligible, and the legislation sets a high bar with multiple stringent eligibility criteria and robust procedural safeguards. These are in place to protect vulnerable people, which may include those suffering solely from mental illness. Just because a person has a substance use disorder does not mean they will be eligible for MAID.

Supports and resources exist to help practitioners navigate MAID requests that involve substance use disorders alongside serious physical conditions. For example, it is specifically addressed through a case scenario in the MAID and Mental Disorder module of the MAID curriculum and is also referenced in the Model MAID Practice Standard.

On health care professionals:

Q6. Is there a lack of agreement among health care professionals about the appropriateness of expansion?

It is not uncommon for there to be professional differences of opinion within the practice of medicine. The question of MAID for persons with a mental illness is no different. There are strongly held beliefs on both sides of this question.

Despite these divergent views, there is a growing body of evidence that points to the fact that MAID for persons with a mental illness can be safely administered with the right training and safeguards in place. The development of the Practice Standards and the CAMAP training modules are key to ensuring that MAID can be appropriately assessed in complex cases, including mental illness.

In 2021, the temporary exclusion of eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness was based on the inherent risks and complexity associated with allowing MAID in these circumstances, and the need for more time to explore how to safely provide access to these individuals.

It is important to ensure that providers are prepared, so that the health care system can appropriately manage these MAID requests. This can be done with ongoing collaboration with health system partners, and provinces and territories.

Q7. How does the government respond to concerns by some psychiatrists regarding the challenge of determining whether a mental illness can be deemed to be “irremediable”?

While there are some psychiatrists who believe that all forms of mental illness can be effectively treated and managed, most psychiatrists acknowledge that some patients can suffer from a mental illness where multiple treatments, tried over a number of years, have not been effective in relieving their suffering.

In its final report, the Expert Panel noted that, in the context of mental illness, MAID should only be available for persons with longstanding conditions leading to functional decline and for which they have found no relief from suffering, despite an extensive history of attempts with different types of interventions and supports.

When determining eligibility for MAID in these types of cases, the Expert Panel recommends that assessors consider the number and type of treatment attempts made, the outcomes of those treatments, and the severity and duration of the illness, disease, or disability.

According to the Expert Panel, the potential uncertainty that a future treatment might be effective must be balanced with the patient’s own experience of suffering and respect for their autonomy.

The Model MAID Practice Standard and Advice to the Profession released through Health Canada further operationalize this guidance. The CAMAP training curriculum also provides practitioners with examples of how to determine irremediability in complex cases.

Q8. Some psychiatrists have called for clarity on what could be a rational request for MAID versus suicidal thoughts. How can practitioners make this determination when a mental illness is driving a person’s request?

Psychiatrists are trained to assess suicidality as part of their regular practice. Suicide assessments are already part of current MAID assessment practices, as are suicide prevention efforts when these are warranted.

To ensure that a request for MAID for mental illness is well considered, the Expert Panel recommended that requesters be assessed on a series of occasions, including when possible, during periods of remission or reduced symptoms, and not during periods of acute emotional distress or crisis. From the Expert Panel’s perspective, suicidal ideation must be considered and evaluated to best determine whether the requester’s wish to end their life by MAID represents a capable appraisal of their situation rather than a potentially treatable symptom of their mental disorder.

The Model MAID Practice Standard and Advice to the Profession released through Health Canada further operationalize this guidance. The CAMAP training curriculum also provides practitioners with examples of how to assess for suicidality in complex cases.

On provinces and territories:

Q9. Did provinces and territories request the additional time? If so, given all the work that has been done to ensure health system preparedness, why did they request it?

Provinces and territories have been working diligently to prepare for the repeal of the exclusion of mental illness currently scheduled for March 2024, however, have raised concerns about the readiness of their health care systems to support patients seeking MAID in these circumstances.

While the legislation on MAID is part of the Criminal Code and falls within federal jurisdiction, it is the provinces and territories that are responsible for its implementation.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the necessary elements are in place before moving forward. This is why the Government of Canada is seeking an extension to March 17, 2027.

Q10. Québec passed its own legislation on assisted dying (former Bill 11) which explicitly excludes eligibility for MAID in cases where a mental disorder, other than a neurocognitive disorder, forms the basis of the request for MAID. Why are they taking such a different approach and what are the implications for Canada’s MAID regime?

Previously approved from ML on the GoC’s response to the Special Joint Committee on MAID Final Report.

Note: Question should be directed to Justice Comms.

Within their legislative responsibilities, including with respect to healthcare, the provinces can prohibit something that is allowed under federal law, but they cannot allow something that is prohibited under the federal Criminal Code.

Quebec’s former Bill 11 follows the recommendations arising from a report of a Select Committee in that province, which was tasked with reviewing MAID and mental disorder and advance requests for MAID.

Q11. What are the provinces and territories saying regarding the approaching March 17, 2024 date of eligibility for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

Provincial and territorial governments and their stakeholders, such as health professional organizations, regulatory bodies, and practitioners, have been actively planning for eligibility for MAID for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness.

For example, many provincial and territorial medical regulatory bodies have developed guidelines and standards for MAID, and some regional health authorities and care coordination services are configuring health professional resources to facilitate consultations and make referrals to necessary services or clinicians.

However, most provinces and territories have indicated that more time is needed and are concerned about being able to implement and support uptake of necessary resources and ensure that appropriate supports for practitioners and patients are in place by March 2024. The proposed extension would ensure that all provinces and territories have the tools and information they need to provide MAID in a safe manner.

On public opinion:

Q12. What is the public reaction to the current plan to allow MAID for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness on March 17, 2024?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

MAID is a complex and deeply personal issue. The Government of Canada recognizes and respects the diverse views on whether MAID should be permitted for persons suffering solely from a mental illness and remains committed to ensuring that Canada’s MAID system protects those who may be vulnerable and supports autonomy and freedom of choice.

On the Canadian MAID Curriculum:

Q13. What is the Canadian MAID Curriculum?

Previously approved from ML on the release of the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers (CAMAP)’s Canadian MAID Curriculum.

The Canadian MAID Curriculum is the first nationally accredited, bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners across the country. Delivered through a combination of online and in-person learning sessions, the Curriculum includes a series of training modules to advise and support clinicians in assessing persons who request MAID, including those with mental illness, complex chronic conditions, or who are impacted by structural vulnerability, as well as provide guidance on the practical application of the MAID legislative framework.

The Curriculum will help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across Canada (recognizing differences exist among provincial/territorial health care systems) and ensure access to high-quality MAID training for interested health practitioners, regardless of their level of experience.

To date, just over 1100 physicians and nurse practitioners (including over 130 psychiatrists) have registered to have access to the curriculum.

On the Model MAID Practice Standard:

Q14. What is the Model Practice Standard for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)?

Previously approved from ML on the release of the Model MAID Practice Standard.

The Model Practice Standard for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) was developed as a resource for physician and nursing regulatory authorities to adopt or adapt in their development or ongoing revision of MAID standards. When regulators across provinces and territories choose to draw upon these resources as they revise their own documents, greater consistency in MAID delivery across jurisdictions is achieved.

Practice standards are developed and adopted by regulatory bodies responsible for ensuring that specific groups of health professionals operate within the highest standard of clinical practice and medical ethics. The majority of physician and nurse regulatory bodies in Canada have adopted a practice standard or guideline for MAID. Most, but not all, have been updated since the passage of former Bill C-7. The level of detail in these documents varies by regulatory body: some simply reiterate the MAID requirements set out in the Criminal Code, while others provide more detailed guidance.

The Model MAID Practice Standard was drafted while keeping in mind the content of existing MAID practice standards across provinces and territories. It provides significant additional content applicable to complex cases, including those where the person requesting MAID suffers from a serious mental disorder.

On independent reviews:

Q15. What were the key conclusions of the Expert Panel on Mental Illness?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

A key conclusion of the Panel was that the challenges people tend to associate with MAID eligibility for persons with mental disorder (e.g., irremediability, decision-making capacity, suicidality and structural vulnerability) are neither unique to requests for MAID from persons with a mental disorder, nor applicable to every requester who has a mental disorder.

The Panel also concluded that the safeguards currently provided in the Criminal Code are sufficient, and that additional legislative safeguards are not required to ensure that requests for MAID from individuals with a mental disorder are handled safely and appropriately. They noted that the legal framework for MAID already sets a very high bar for eligibility. The key consideration for the Panel was ensuring that practitioners have additional guidance on how to operationalize the existing eligibility criteria and safeguards in the context of mental disorder and other complex MAID requests.

The central recommendation of the Panel was for federal, provincial, and territorial governments to facilitate collaboration among regulatory bodies on the development of MAID practice standards.

Most of the remaining recommendations provide guidance on the interpretation of the MAID eligibility criteria, application of the legislated safeguards, and the assessment process; others focus on measures to improve the functioning of Canada’s MAID system more broadly.

On procedural safeguards:

Q16. Are the current procedural safeguards sufficient to protect people who might be more vulnerable?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

Canada’s MAID law includes a two-track approach to procedural safeguards that medical practitioners must follow, based on whether or not a person’s natural death is reasonably foreseeable. In March 2021, MAID for a person whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable was permitted, though with additional safeguards for such cases. These would also apply to persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness. These safeguards seek to address the diverse sources of suffering and vulnerability that could potentially lead a person who is not nearing death to ask for MAID.

The following procedural safeguards apply to eligible persons’ whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable:

Q17. Will the federal government put more procedural safeguards in place for persons suffering solely from mental illness?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

The Government of Canada appointed an Expert Task Group to develop MAID practice standards, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, regulatory bodies, and clinicians across Canada. The Task Group’s work, including a Model MAID Practice Standard and a companion document, Advice to the Profession, were published in March 2023. This work is proving to be instrumental in informing the development of new guidelines for provincial and territorial medical regulatory bodies.

While the Government of Canada cannot mandate these standards across Canada, provinces and territories are adopting or adapting these standards to fit their particular context or integrating elements within their existing standards. The standards and guidelines are also binding on medical and nurse practitioners.

Health Canada has also been working closely with the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers (CAMAP) on a number of key activities to support preparedness, including the development of a nationally accredited bilingual MAID curriculum to support a standardized approach to care across the country.

This program was launched in late August 2023, and all modules are available for registration. Just over 1100 clinicians have already registered with CAMAP to access the training.

Health Canada expects that both new and more experienced MAID practitioners will take the CAMAP courses and obtain certification from their professional body. However, it is up to provinces and territories, and health professional regulatory bodies to decide what training and certification is mandatory.

On eligibility:

Q18. Is the federal government considering permanently removing eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

No, the Government of Canada is not considering permanently removing eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness.

The proposed extension of the temporary exclusion of eligibility for persons suffering solely from a mental illness is intended to allow more time for the provinces and territories, and their partners, to prepare their health care systems. This could include developing policies, standards, guidance, additional resources for their MAID assessors and providers. In addition, this extension would provide practitioners with more time to participate in training and become familiar with available supports, gain confidence in applying the guidelines and safeguards, and overall, feel supported for the expansion.

The Government of Canada remains committed to ensuring that Canada’s MAID system reflects the needs of people in Canada, protects those who may be vulnerable, and supports autonomy and freedom of choice.

Q19. Can you respond to criticism that depressed children and teenagers will have greater capacity to end their own lives under Canada’s new MAID law?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

Canada’s law does not permit for MAID to be administered to persons under 18 years of age under any circumstance.

The bill does not alter the minimum eligibility age of 18 for MAID in Canada.

Q20. Is excluding eligibility for persons whose sole medical condition is mental illness discriminatory and unconstitutional?

Note: Question should be directed to Justice Comms.

The Government’s position is that the temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID on the basis of mental illness alone is consistent with the Charter.

Our MAID framework seeks to balance a number of competing interests, including the autonomy of individuals who are eligible to receive MAID and the protection of vulnerable persons. The Supreme Court of Canada has indicated that Parliament’s choices on how to balance these competing interests will be given a high degree of deference.

The temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID is not based on discriminatory assumptions that individuals who suffer from mental illness lack decision-making capacity, or on a failure to appreciate the severity of their suffering. Rather, it is based on the risks and complexities that the availability of MAID presents in circumstances where the sole underlying condition is a mental illness. The federal government believes that MAID should not be permitted on the basis of mental illness alone until the healthcare system is ready to safely provide MAID in these circumstances. The considerations that support the consistency of the exclusion with the Charter are more fully described in the Charter Statements for former Bills C-7 and C-39 [and/or Bill C-62].

Health and social support:

Q21. Are some people in Canada receiving MAID for reasons solely related to lack of support services?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

Lack of access to social supports or to health services would never, on its own, make a person eligible for MAID.

MAID is a deeply personal and complex choice, and the law recognizes personal autonomy to choose MAID and to receive it when specific criteria and safeguards are fully satisfied. It also provides robust protections for those who may be vulnerable.

MAID is available to adults who freely choose to pursue a medically assisted death in situations where they have a grievous and irremediable medical condition (as defined in the legal framework for MAID) and whose illness and associated state of irreversible decline causes them enduring physical or psychological suffering that cannot be relieved under conditions they consider acceptable. They must be found eligible by two independent practitioners and be aware of and have been offered supports that both practitioners agree have been seriously considered.

For more information on the robust eligibility criteria and safeguards in place for accessing MAID in Canada, please consult: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html.

Working to improve access to health care and social support services remains a priority for the Government of Canada. All jurisdictions in Canada have a broad range of policies, programs and initiatives aimed at providing support to persons with disabilities and promoting their inclusion and full participation in Canadian society. While the federal government provides financial support to provinces and territories, the responsibility for matters related to the administration and delivery of health care services falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. This includes setting their own priorities, administering their health care budgets, and managing their own resources.

Mental health and suicide prevention:

Q22. What is the government doing to improve mental health efforts?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

There is no health without mental health, which is why the Government of Canada is taking an integrated, inclusive approach to investments in family health services and primary care health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools to support provinces and territories in meeting the mental health needs of people across Canada.

Through Budget 2023, the Government of Canada is investing nearly $200 billion to strengthen the public health care system, including $46.2 billion in new funding to provinces and territories (PTs) to support the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan. This includes $25 billion over ten years in new funding to PTs through tailored bilateral agreements, focused on four shared priorities: mental health and substance use, improved family health services, efforts to support the health care workforce, and improved data infrastructure, including the development of transparent and accountable health data indicators, standards, and tools.

The federal government’s approach allows provinces and territories to best address the unique needs of their populations and geography.

In 2020, PHAC invested more than $14.8 million in Kids Help Phone (KHP) as part of the federal response to provide crisis services and mental health support to vulnerable populations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its services are continuing to experience significantly higher service volumes than before the pandemic. KHP is available 24/7 with e-mental health service offering free, bilingual, and confidential support to young people, for all their needs.

Last year, the Government of Canada, through PHAC, also invested $3 million in funding to KHP to help them expand a program supporting the mental health of young people from Indigenous, Black, newcomer and equity-deserving communities across Canada. The funding also served to expand the Counsellor in the Classroom program, which aims to de-stigmatize help-seeking behaviour among Grade 4 and 5 students in both official languages.

The Government of Canada has also taken an important step to provide suicide prevention support for people who need it, when they need it most. As of November 30, 2023, 9-8-8, Canada’s new three-digit suicide crisis helpline, is now available to call or text, in English and French, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, across Canada.

The Government of Canada provided $156 million over three years to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to implement and operate the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. Responders will provide support and compassion without judgement. They are here to help callers and texters explore ways to keep themselves safe when things are overwhelming. The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with CAMH, provinces and territories and other important partners to ensure 9-8-8 continues to meet the ever-changing needs of Canda’s diverse populations.

Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and work will continue with provinces and territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.

Q23. What is the government doing to improve suicide prevention efforts?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

Every action matters when it comes to suicide prevention, from learning the proper language to avoid stigma, to understanding how to support someone who may be considering suicide. Every day, approximately 12 people in Canada die by suicide. Suicide affects people of all ages and backgrounds and the Government of Canada is taking concrete steps to provide people across Canada with the best possible mental health and crisis intervention supports and resources.

Health equity approaches are needed to improve access for populations most affected by suicide, including Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, newcomers, veterans, older adults, and those living in rural and remote communities. Providers require capacity and competency to respond to diverse needs and be a trusted resource for people in Canada, regardless of their cultural, social, or economic status.

In September 2023, the Government of Canada announced $8 million in federal funding to address gaps in equity, diversity and inclusion within Canada’s distress line sector.

On November 30, 2023, the Government of Canada took an important step to provide suicide prevention support for people who need it, when they need it most. 9-8-8, Canada’s new three-digit suicide crisis helpline, is now available to call or text, in English and French, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, across Canada.

The Government provided $156 million over three years to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to implement and operate the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. Responders will provide support and compassion without judgement. They are here to help callers and texters explore ways to keep themselves safe when things are overwhelming. The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with CAMH, provinces and territories and other important partners to ensure 9-8-8 continues to meet the ever-changing needs of Canda’s diverse populations.

In addition, the Government invested $57.5 million to support crisis services during the pandemic, including $2 million to develop resources for distress centres that are tailored to meet the needs of diverse populations such as older adults, youth, LGBTQ2+ populations, persons with disabilities as well as Inuit, First Nations, and Métis communities.

Q24. How do you respond to criticism that Canada’s MAID legislation is going against suicide prevention efforts?

Previously approved from ML on MAID – Extension of exclusion for persons suffering solely from a mental illness (Bill C-39, January 2023).

Protecting vulnerable persons, including those suffering from mental illness or in crisis, remains a priority for the Government of Canada. It is important to note that international evidence does not indicate that there is a direct causal relationship between the availability of MAID and an increase in suicide rates.