Euthanasia, an increasingly routine 'exception' in Canada

What was supposed to be reserved for exceptional cases has become routine in Canada. Research conducted by Alexander Raikin, a professor of bioethics, and published by the think tank Cardus, revealed that the number of Canadians dying prematurely from Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) has increased thirteenfold since euthanasia was legalized.

According to the report, MAiD in Canada is the fastest growing assisted dying program in the world.

"In 2016, the number of people dying in this way was 1,018. In 2022, the last year for which data are available, the number was 13,241," the research highlighted.

The figures seem to show that euthanasia has become routine when it was sold as an option for exceptional cases. According to the judicial decisions that legalized it, it was to be a "strictly limited and carefully controlled system of exceptions."

In fact, several members of the government explained that the intention was not to promote premature death for all medical problems. However, Cardus' research indicated that MAiD evaluators and providers do not view it as a last resort.

According to Raikin's research, "MAiD assessors and providers do not treat it as a last resort. The percentage of MAiD requests that are denied continues to decline (currently it is 3.5 percent). MAiD requests can be assessed and provided in a single day."

In addition, there is concern about the way in which Medical Assistance in Dying is being accounted for. As the report concludes, death records in some provinces do not record MAiD as the cause of death but rather the underlying condition that led to the MAiD request and subsequent death.

"Further, Health Canada reports on the number of MAiD deaths, but Statistics Canada does not consider MAiD a cause of death. These inconsistencies in reporting have an impact on research about MAiD and about causes of death more generally," the research highlighted.

Alexander Raikin explained that the lack of transparency in both data and reporting by the Canadian government makes it difficult to understand the level to which euthanasia is being normalized compared to other countries that have also legalized the practice. 

"For policymakers and the public to properly understand the Canadian reality, it is essential that government agencies collect consistent data and issue correct statements," the bioethics professor's report stated.