CHARBONNEAU – Liberals lack spine in failure to provide MAID to mentally ill

BEHIND IN THE POLLS, the federal Liberals have delayed access of MAID to those suffering from  mental illness again. After three years of delay, the feds are bowing to pressure to delay medical assistance in dying for those with prolonged, incurable mental disorders.

It’s only a pause, they say, until after the next election. That delay could be a recipe for cancellation. A government led by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre would scrap any law allowing MAID for mental illness.

After the original delay, MAID provisions for individuals with mental illnesses were supposed to kick in back in March, 2023 but that was delayed a year. Now, they’re  delayed again.

In a seizure of procrastination, the Liberals reconvened a special joint committee of MPs and senators to “study” the problem and suggest a path for the planned expansion.

The committee released a report on Monday saying Canada is not ready for such an expansion of MAID. Apparently they thought that mentally ill sufferers could suffer a little longer while those with a “physical” illness would have access to MAID.

Three members of the special committee disagreed. Senator Pamela Wallin said she finds it “shocking” that on this particular issue, the government no longer subscribes to “the notion of choice and how important it is,” which leads her to believe there has been an “about-face” on the part of Ottawa.

It’s intolerable that access to MAID for mentally-ill sufferers has become political.

What if other diseases such as chronic kidney disease were politicised?  CKD is a major health problem affecting approximately 4 million Canadians.

What if the committee decided that CKD was the result of “lifestyle” choices of sufferers and that only certain people were deserving of MAID? Would they then set up a committee to study whether the undeserving should be allowed to die in peace?

That would be unacceptable. Yet, the gatekeepers of our healthcare system are willing to make those suffering from intolerable mental illness consider options such as suicide.

The heart of the problem is the supposed difference between mental and physical illness.

There is none.

The confusion between the mind and body is millennia old.  When those who suffered from schizophrenia heard voices, they were thought to be coming from a spiritual world; from devils and gods.

Centuries ago, the philosopher René Descartes cemented the myth of the separation of mind and body. It’s still popular.  We can’t get over the idea that our mental lives are separate from our physical lives.

Mental illness is physical illness because the mind is a product of the brain. Neuroscientists are mapping the connection — how parts of the brain operate to generate thoughts and other mental qualities such as consciousness.

Health providers across Canada say they are not ready to deal with requests for MAID. But if, after three years, they are not ready, then when? With our healthcare system stretched to the limit, will they ever be ready?

Terminal “mental-illness” sufferers need the support of clinicians who would allow MAID that is now offered for other physical sufferers.

David Charbonneau is a retired TRU electronics instructor who hosts a blog at http://www.eyeviewkamloops.wordpress.com.