Advocacy groups in Canada have proposed extending Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to some 'mature minors,' while official data show the program, legal since 2016, accounted for 15,343 provisions in 2023—about 4.7% of all deaths. Critics warn of a slippery slope.
Canada legalized MAiD in 2016 for adults 18 and older whose natural death was considered reasonably foreseeable, with strict eligibility and consent requirements. In 2021, Parliament passed Bill C‑7, which removed the requirement that death be reasonably foreseeable and created two safeguard tracks while maintaining the 18‑and‑over rule and temporarily excluding cases where a mental illness is the sole underlying condition. In February 2024, Bill C‑62 delayed any eligibility based solely on mental illness until March 17, 2027. (canada.ca)
Health Canada’s latest annual report shows 15,343 people received MAiD in 2023, a 15.8% increase from 2022 and representing about 4.7% of all deaths in Canada. Nearly all provisions were practitioner‑administered; self‑administration occurred in fewer than five instances nationwide. Most cases (95.9%) were in the “Track 1” stream for those with a reasonably foreseeable natural death. (canada.ca)
Minors are not eligible for MAiD under current law. However, Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC) has publicly advocated allowing access for certain "mature minors"—defined as capable youths under 18—with guardrails. DWDC’s stated position is to permit eligibility starting at age 12, with parental or guardian informed consent required for ages 12–15 and mandatory assessor consultation with a parent or guardian for 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds. The organization emphasizes that there is no current legislation to enable this and says any future framework should be limited to cases where death is reasonably foreseeable. The federal Special Joint Committee on MAiD similarly recommended that, if ever permitted, access for mature minors be restricted to those whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable. (dyingwithdignity.ca)
Supporters of extending access argue this would align with existing health‑consent practices in many provinces, where capable minors can consent to or refuse treatment. Opponents cite moral and safety concerns. Psychiatrist Aaron Kheriaty, of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told The Daily Wire that expanding MAiD to minors reflects a “gruesome, relentless logic,” adding that once doctors are allowed to end patients’ lives, “it’s very hard to argue that there should be any limitations.” Those remarks are Kheriaty’s opinion as quoted by The Daily Wire. (dailywire.com)
Debate also continues over MAiD and mental disorders. By law, people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness remain ineligible until at least March 17, 2027. While some commentators claim such cases are occurring informally, courts and regulators have reiterated the current prohibition. One widely reported Alberta case involved a 27‑year‑old woman approved for MAiD amid litigation; court filings noted she had ADHD and autism but did not specify the medical basis for eligibility. The matter proceeded on appeal, underscoring the complexity of eligibility determinations rather than establishing a precedent that mental illness alone qualifies. (lop.parl.ca)
Terminology and method also matter. In Canada, MAiD includes both practitioner‑administered death (often described colloquially as euthanasia) and self‑administered death (assisted self‑ingestion). In practice, nearly all Canadian cases are practitioner‑administered, and self‑administration remains exceedingly rare. (canada.ca)
