UPDATE MARCH 2021: Parliament passed Bill C-7 into law March 18, 2021. This bill expands euthanasia to allow people who are not dying to be considered eligible for hastened death. Bill C-7 also removes some key safeguards for people who are at the end of life, such as the 10-day reflection period. This new law also means that, starting March 2023, MAID will become available for people with mental illness alone.
Issue summary
Bill C-7 is now law. It allows assisted death for Canadians who are not dying, having
removed the previous requirement that a person’s death must be “reasonably foreseeable” in order to be eligible for assisted suicide and euthanasia.
For those whose death is reasonably foreseeable,
Bill C-7 also removed some key safeguards that were established in 2016, such as a 10-day reflection period between the request and the hastened death, and the requirement that a person is able to consent at the time of the hastened death in certain circumstances. The bill also sets additional conditions for hastened death for those who are not dying.
Amendments proposed by the Senate made this deeply flawed bill even worse, bringing in an addition to allow euthanasia
for those with mental illness alone. Parliament's acceptance of these amendments means that, starting in March 2023, MAID will become available for people with mental illness alone.
The bill requires that a parliamentary committee be formed to hold a comprehensive review of medical assistance in dying in Canada, including issues relating to mature minors, advance requests, mental illness, the state of palliative care in Canada and the protection of Canadians with disabilities.
For issues around protecting medical professionals from being forced to participate in euthanasia, see
TheEFC.ca/Conscience.
The EFC encourages supporters to express your concern for vulnerable Canadians, such as individuals with disabilities, to your MP and Provincial Senators.
Related resources
- The EFC laments the passing of Bill C-7 (March 20, 2021)
- The EFC is a member of the Coalition for Healthcare and Conscience, which has an easy, quick way to email your MP or senator directly about this bill at www.canadiansforconscience.ca.
- Find your MP’s name and contact info.
- You can also contact the Senator(s) from your province.
- Action Kit on Euthanasia Expansion. A two-page PDF with a new sample letter. (Revised Feb. 18. Previous versions were released Nov. 23 and Sept. 1, 2020).
- Older sample letter to MP on Bill C-7 (Nov. 23, 2020), docx or pdf
- Letter to MPs on Senate amendments to Bill C-7 (Mar. 9)
- Open letter opposing Bill C-7 signed by more than 100 disabilities groups as well as the EFC (Feb. 23)
- Urgent Action Needed on Euthanasia Bill C-7, brief video update from the EFC's David Guretzki (Feb. 18, 2021)
- EFC letter to Senators on critical problems with Bill C-7 (Feb. 17, 2021)
- EFC submission to the Senate Legal Affairs Committee (Nov. 25, 2020)
- Rise to the Defense of Human Rights: Video testimony by disability activists on Bill C-7 (Nov. 24)
- Will you rise to the defense of human rights? (blog, Nov. 23)
- EFC submission to the House of Commons Justice Committee (Nov. 10, 2020)
- We should be horrified: Changes to MAID in Canada (video by disability rights advocate Taylor Hyatt, Nov. 3) and text version/transcript (Nov. 2)
- Religious leaders denounce Bill C-7. Multi-faith open letter (Oct. 14, 2020)
- Video update from the EFC’s David Guretzki (2 min., September 3, 2020)
- The impact of MAID on people with disabilities: Kory Earle of People's First Canada (podcast, July 6, 2020)
- Three questions on Bill C-7 (June 30, 2020)
- Sample letter to MP on Bill C-7 (April 21, 2020), docx or pdf
- EFC letter to minister of justice on Bill C-7 (April 21, 2020)
- EFC briefing notes on changes to the end of life requirement (March 27, 2020), 2-page PDF
- EFC analysis of Bill C-7 (March 10, 2020), 7-page PDF