The first hour of debate on
Bill C-218 took place in the House of Commons last Friday. This bill would stop the coming expansion of MAiD for mental illness alone.
A law has already been passed that will allow a person to be eligible for MAiD on the basis of mental illness alone. This expansion is slated to take effect in March 2027, unless legislation is passed to stop it. Bill C-218 would stop the expansion.
The sponsoring MP, Tamara Jansen, gave a
compelling overview of why the bill was needed. She told stories of people who have ended their lives by MAiD. She described the abuses in the current system from the report of the Ontario coroner’s MAiD death review committee. She pointed to international pressure not to expand MAiD, like the report of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
MP Andrew Lawton gave a
powerful account of his own suicide attempt and how he may have qualified for MAiD on the basis of mental illness alone if the law had been expanded at the time.
The Bloc Quebecois
indicated its MPs will not support Bill C-218.
The Liberal MPs who spoke in the debate were new backbench MPs,
Juanita Nathan and
Aslam Rana. They gave a ‘wait and see’ message, pointing to a joint committee on MAiD for mental illness that will be formed in February to study the issue.
What’s next?
As a private member’s bill, introduced by an individual MP rather than the government, Bill C-218 follows a particular process. It will come up for another hour of debate at the end of February, likely February 26. There will be a vote to determine whether the bill will continue to advance through Parliament or whether it will be defeated, in early March.
The Liberals have not taken a strong position for or against the bill, which may mean that there is room for them to change their position.
The most influential driver of change is for an MP to hear from their constituents. The most effective ways to communicate with your local MP are through a meeting, a phone call or a personal message – or a combination of these, such as a personal email followed by a phone call. It helps to leave a voicemail message after hours or sign a petition, as well – and these actions can be combined for greater effectiveness, too.
Please continue to pray with us and consider
contacting your MP to ask them to support Bill C-218. Even 15 minutes can make a difference!