A new committee of MPs and Senators is being formed to study MAiD for mental illness. This was required in the last bill that delayed MAiD for mental illness until 2027. The committee is to be set up by Feb. 28 and will report back to Parliament with recommendations by Oct. 2, 2026. The government has delayed MAiD for mental illness when past committees have recommended delays. Please pray.
Bill C-218, an individual MP’s bill to stop MAiD for mental illness alone, is now expected to come up for its second hour of debate in mid-April, followed by a vote. The tentative new dates are April 13 for debate and a vote on April 15. If it passes the vote, the bill will be sent to a parliamentary committee to be studied. There is still time to contact your MP to ask for support for
Bill C-218. This bill will need significant public support to pass.
A phone call or email of support to your MP can make a difference.
Advance requests: A Senator has introduced a private member’s bill to allow advance requests for MAiD. The bill,
Bill S-231, is in its early stages in the Senate. This month, the
Globe & Mail reported that more than 2,100 people in Quebec have been approved for advance requests for MAiD since October 2024. The province set up a system to allow advance requests for MAiD in 2024, indicating it would not prosecute, even though most advance requests are prohibited in the
Criminal Code. The federal government held a consultation on advance requests last year and
reported that the principle of advance requests was generally supported by Canadians.
St Paul’s court case: A BC court is hearing a challenge of the policy that allows faith-based healthcare facilities to offer care that aligns with their beliefs. The hearings began in early 2026. The EFC has been granted intervener status and will be submitting written legal arguments to the court in late March and making oral arguments in April. The EFC will focus on the ability of Christian institutions to provide services without being compelled to compromise their beliefs. This case will determine whether faith-based facilities are able to be MAiD-free spaces.
Please continue to pray to pray for our country and for those who are vulnerable. Pray that God would help Canadian Christians to love our neighbours well.
Contact the EFC if you would like to have an
EFC speaker talk to your church or ministerial about MAiD.