Canadian government pays poor who can’t ‘live with dignity’ to commit suicide

By Savannah Hulsey Pointer

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Canadian government will now pay for those who are “too poor to continue living with dignity” to kill themselves or be euthanized according to the medical term.

Helping them pay for education or the like so they can live with dignity seems less interesting.

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Canada is expanding its medical assistance in dying (MAID) program, which has been an option for those with certain types of illnesses for years.

According to The Post Millennial, the program includes health authorities providing a drug that will intentionally kill the person at their request.

Author Charles Camosy criticizes Canada's euthanasia laws which allow for euthanizing people if they are "too poor to continue living with dignity":

"Canada's policies are seen for what they are." pic.twitter.com/QvzW1Rt67R

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 12, 2022

MORE ON CANADA’S MAID PROGRAM

The British Columbia government website, “Medical assistance in dying provides people experiencing intolerable suffering due to a grievous and irremediable (incurable) medical condition, the option to end their life with a doctor or nurse practitioner.”

“Medical assistance in dying is provided only to legally eligible persons. To ensure this service is provided safely, safeguards have been designed to protect vulnerable people and support all people to make an informed decision,” the site says.

Up until recently, the person receiving the service must be eligible for the government-funded health program, at least 18 years of age and mentally competent, have made a voluntary request for assistance in dying, have given informed consent about possible palliative care, have a “grievous and irremediable medical condition,” and be enduring physical or psychological suffering that is “intolerable to them and cannot be relieved under conditions that they consider acceptable.”

BACKGROUND

In 2015, the Canadian Supreme Court struck down a long-standing ban on assisted suicide, and just a year later, its parliament passed legislation allowing “MAID.”

The program was touted as a resource for those whose death was “reasonably foreseeable.” However, five years later, the “reasonably foreseeable” language was dropped, as was the requirement of a terminal illness.

This article is mirrored. It was published first in American Faith.