[Politics Monday] Ottawa to indefinitely extend MAID exclusion for people solely suffering from mental illness

[u/feb914]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-maid-exclusion-9.7372732

[u/Artorias38t]

Good news at least. It'd be strange for therapists to treat depressed people and then still have MAID there as an option. 

[u/Economy-Cow-9847 → u/Artorias38t]

Had a social worker friend tell us that they were no longer allowed to provide risk assessment at her organization because MAID was equitable healthcare or whatever. We live in crazy times. I wonder if this ruling will change anything.

[u/Artorias38t → u/Economy-Cow-9847]

Like suicide risk assessment? Not sure I understand. But that is crazy, but you're not supposed to disagree with the patient I guess?

[u/Economy-Cow-9847 → u/Artorias38t]

Yes, suicide risk assessment! The client is supposed yo be the expert in their care and so telling them they can't commit suicide would be denying them their rights. She explained it better but that's a dumbed down version of what she explained.

[u/Artorias38t → u/Economy-Cow-9847]

That's completely unhinged, but I suppose that they have to maintain that it wouldn't be wrong.

[u/grumpygirl1973 → u/Artorias38t]

You said it. I was just thinking why the heck did they spend all that money on suicide barriers on the High Level Bridge in Edmonton when they are just going to murder them instead? Dark and cynical, I know, but here we are.

[u/CrTigerHiddenAvocado]

Last statistic I saw for 2024 was that MAID was responsible 5.1% of total deaths in Canada. Some say that is underreported, since it can be listed as a secondary cause for some conditions.

Im not sure where that ranks per 100000 vs US causes of death, but it looks quite high. In terms of US causes, that would put it in approximately 5th place for causes of death. Approximately 1/4 of the deaths from cancer.

That’s a lot of people imho.

[u/Beneficial_Ship7090 → u/CrTigerHiddenAvocado]

It’s definitely underreported. I’m a financial advisor and our office does life insurance. I usually help the families as much as I can with the life insurance claims. I’d say the number is probably closer to 10-20%

I don’t know how they are reporting it, but for insurance purposes, we consider MAID deaths as a death from the underlying condition which MAID was approved, so even if it’s within the suicide exclusion period, we would pay out the death benefit

[u/jumpno → u/Beneficial_Ship7090]

That's a bit dystopian

[u/Beneficial_Ship7090 → u/jumpno]

Yeah, makes me sick every time. I’m just happy I know of some of these deaths so I can prey for their souls

[u/CrTigerHiddenAvocado → u/Beneficial_Ship7090]

Honestly that is scary if it’s anywhere even close. Highest cause of death in the US 2024 was heart disease at 22.1%. Second highest was cancer at 20%.

[u/GudaGama]

Better than nothing I guess. Hopefully it is a small step forward in the fight for the abolition of physician assisted murder.

[u/Beneficial_Ship7090]

They are just waiting for the Overton window to shift

[u/Massive-Raise-2805]

50 years later:

Ottawa is reviewing the ethicality of MAID for people who suffered from generational poverty