Is Canada Killing Poor People?
Euthanasia through a government-funded program is now a leading cause of death in Canada, according to an article published this week by the Daily Caller.
Euthanasia became legal in Canada for adults 18 years or older in 2016, with extremely narrow parameters. One had to prove “suffering from severe pain and have a reasonably foreseeable death, as well as two doctors signing off on the decision” in order to qualify for the program.
In the few years following the legalization of the practice, Canada’s euthanasia, or “Death with Dignity” program, has expanded to include any adult with a serious disease or mental health reason. The Canadian government is set to expand euthanasia programs further next year, enveloping several other demographics of people including people exclusively suffering from mental health conditions, the poor, and even potentially children under age 18.
Ethicists have repeatedly expressed concerns over Canada’s euthanasia program, saying it lacks the necessary safeguards to protect people from believing death is their only option, particularly for the disabled community. The Associated Press reports the nation’s program differs from other countries with legalized euthanasia for several reasons, including that “Canadian patients are not required to have exhausted all treatment alternatives before seeking euthanasia,” “Canada is the only country that allows nurse practitioners, not just doctors, to end patients’ lives,” Canada doesn’t have monthly commissions to review potentially troubling cases,” and more.
Physician-assisted suicide has been a topic of hot debate for many years, including in the United States, but the reality is many of these programs we are seeing around the world are no longer isolated to people who have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses.
To encourage those struggling with mental health conditions, socioeconomic hardship, or disability to pursue death as a more “dignified” option than getting help is a devastating result of these programs gone wrong. Especially considering Canada’s healthcare system is funded by the nation’s taxpayers, it’s difficult to imagine this is the best use of public resources as opposed to social programs seeking to end the damaging consequences of mental health conditions, poverty, and disability altogether.
The sad reality of our modern world is that we continue to pursue a culture of death over a culture of life. We no longer seek to uphold the inherent value of humanity, because we fundamentally lack understanding of that value. The same culture that promotes abortion-on-demand and violence to achieve political gains defends programs like this that ultimately take advantage of people to present death as the only option.
What do you think about Canada’s expanding euthanasia program? Do you think it’s progressive or regressive?
