MAiD legislation in the House of Commons
Last week, a bill that would have stopped the coming expansion of MAiD for mental illness, Bill C-218, was defeated by a vote of 187 to 141 in the House of Commons. The EFC regrets that it did not receive enough support to pass and thanks the bill’s sponsor and those who have advocated strongly to stop this expansion.
In a press conference last week, the Justice Minister announced that the government will introduce a bill this fall to indefinitely pause the expansion of MAiD for mental illness. He said the bill will also change the Criminal Code to allow advance requests for MAiD in provinces that have legislated a system of safeguards. This new bill is expected to be introduced within the next few weeks.
The EFC will study the legislation carefully once it is tabled, but our response to it will be nuanced. We strongly support an indefinite delay of MAiD for mental illness. However, we would strongly oppose provisions to allow advance requests for MAiD.
An advance request would allow a person to arrange to have their life ended by MAiD when they no longer have the ability to consent. We believe the requirement that a person give consent at the time their life is ended by MAiD is a critical safeguard.
See the EFC’s earlier blog for 10 reasons to oppose advance requests for MAiD.
Religious freedom at the Supreme Court
The EFC argued that the Charter protects the communal life of faith communities in the Vabuolas case before the Supreme Court on Friday. This case addresses whether the state can compel religious communities to release confidential records about decision-making on purely religious matters. The EFC co-intervened with the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities. Please pray for judges to weigh the arguments carefully and make a wise decision.
Alberta at the crossroads
Editor's note: Here is the partial script of this video address by EFC President David Guretzki. Visit our website to read the full text.
Hi, I’m David Guretzki, President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
Many of you may not know that both my wife and I grew up in rural Alberta outside the village of Onoway, northwest of Edmonton. Alberta is still home for us.
Many of you from coast to coast to coast may also have connections to Alberta whether through vacationing in the Rockies, enjoying the open prairie lands and skies, or working in the vast natural resource industry.
Alberta is approaching a referendum crossroads on October 19, and I am inviting you to pray with and for Albertans and the process the province is engaging.
Conversation with denominational leaders there has reminded me that we need to pray, first, with understanding: the referendum is not only one question asking if independence should be considered but contains nine additional questions seeking public thought on immigration and constitutional reform.
In other words, there’s much more to this moment in Alberta than we might first assume, and it’s important we pray with understanding and empathy. The issues are complex, and there are bound to be many opinions on all sides of these questions, even among those in the faith.
Read more at TheEFC.ca.