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Blog post by Augustin Hamilton (Quebec Life Coalition) — Photo: Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stovk

Of the 900,000 calls to the Suicide Crisis Helpline (9-8-8) from individuals with suicidal thoughts, nearly 7% (or 70,000 calls) mentioned considering assisted suicide.

Dr. Allison Crawford, the helpline's medical director, presented these figures to the "Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying," adding that "when people mention MAID [euthanasia], they exhibit a significantly higher level of suicidal tendencies than those who call or text without mentioning MAID."

Are we really going to extend euthanasia to people suffering from mental illness alone? As pro-life advocates have said from the beginning, once euthanasia is legalized, the barriers will fall one by one.

Notably, 90 organizations supporting people with disabilities or mental illness have signed a letter urging Mark Carney’s Liberal government to repeal the extension of euthanasia to individuals with mental illness alone, which is set to take effect on March 17, 2027.

Several of these organizations have testified before the parliamentary committee reviewing the proposed expansion. Among them are Inclusion Canada, Disability Without Poverty, the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

In the letter, these organizations highlight the lack of access to mental healthcare in Canada:

"Mental health conditions remain the fastest-growing type of disability in Canada. Mental healthcare remains underfunded. Waiting times for psychiatric treatment are still unreasonably long." 

The Executive Director of Inclusion Canada, Krista Carr, believes that the public generally favors an approach aimed at preventing suicide and supporting people with mental illness.

"I think people believe that the way to address mental illness is through suicide prevention, support, and treatment."

Inclusion Canada would also like the federal government to repeal the "Track 2" provision, which permits euthanasia for individuals who are not "terminally ill".