OTTAWA — Leaders of Canada's largest pro-life group warned on Wednesday that eligibility for medical assistance in dying (MAID) is poised to expand dramatically in less than a year if legislative action is not taken to halt the change.
Speaking ahead of the national March for Life scheduled for Thursday in Ottawa, representatives from the Campaign Life Coalition highlighted the impending shift in law on MAID. Jack Fonseca, the coalition's political operations director, stated: "The next euthanasia time bomb is set to explode on March 17, 2027."
Mental Illness Exclusion Set to Expire
Fonseca referred to a temporary exclusion of MAID eligibility for individuals whose sole medical condition is mental illness. Federal legislation currently requires a "grievous and irredeemable medical condition" to qualify for MAID, specifying that "a mental illness is not considered to be an illness, disease or disability" in this context. That exception was initially set to expire in 2023 but has been extended twice and will now end next March.
Call for Legislative Action
To prevent this change, Fonseca encouraged Members of Parliament to vote in favour of Bill C-218, a private member's bill introduced by Conservative MP Tamara Jansen. The bill would make permanent the MAID eligibility exclusion for those experiencing "mental disorder" alone. Fonseca also praised a law passed in Alberta last month that imposes significant restrictions on MAID, saying Premier Danielle Smith "has shown all other provinces the way." He urged other provinces "to introduce similar legislation as a first step."
International Perspectives
Aleš Primc, president of the Movement for Children and Families, joined the Campaign Life Coalition to speak ahead of Thursday's march. Primc led a successful campaign for a referendum last November to block Slovenia's assisted dying law, which had been adopted months earlier. He described the "victory" in Slovenia as significant for Canada, demonstrating that campaigners "can win and we will win" against what he called an "anti-culture of death." Primc emphasized that supporters "fight this fight" for elderly and sick people who need compassion, help, and relationships rather than "poison."
Broader Advocacy
The Campaign Life Coalition also advocates against abortion. The group noted that this year's march "marks 57 years to the day since the passage of Canada's 1969 omnibus bill that opened the door to abortion-on-demand." The theme for the annual National March for Life this year is "Follow Me." The march is scheduled to begin Thursday at 12:30 pm on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
