The British Columbia Humanist Association supports the right of an individual who has made a clear decision, free from coercion, to choose a physician-assisted death (also known as medical assistance in dying (MAiD). We believe that the promotion of human dignity requires allowing an individual to choose both how to live and how to end their life. People who have made the decision to end their life should have access to the means and assistance to do so with dignity.

We applaud the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Carter v. Canada. Unfortunately, the federal government's legislation has so far failed to live up to these progressive guidelines.

We support the proposed changes to Bill C-7 to eliminate the 10-day waiting period and introduce advance directives for those facing a reasonably foreseeable death. We applaud the inclusion of those with non-reasonably foreseeable deaths (degenerative conditions) but are concerned that the additional barriers this group faces in receiving their wish constitute a hierarchy of suffering between those with a reasonably foreseeable and non-reasonably foreseeable death.

BCHA supports efforts to increase community health services so that people at their end of life, and people with disabilities can receive the in-home support they require. Access to MAiD is never a substitute for promoting the quality of life of vulnerable groups, and their wellbeing must come first. People with disabilities who decide an assisted death is right for them ought to be equally eligible to fulfill their wish as non-disabled people.

We continue to be concerned that many Canadians have been left out of the government's criteria. This includes mature minors, people with mental illnesses and many people with disabilities. We are very concerned about the many people who face extraneous barriers to receiving their wish for an assisted death due to institutional policies. This occurs as a result of the Denominational Healthcare Agreement, which allows religious healthcare institutions to refuse the provision or facilitation of medical assistance in dying on its premises. The effects are tragic; suffering individuals and their families must be painfully moved days or even hours before their planned death, some are denied their wish altogether if they cannot find an alternate location. We believe that this service should be guaranteed through our publicly funded healthcare system and institutions that refuse to provide it should have their corresponding funding for the service removed.

For more on our position on assisted dying, read our most recent response on changes to Bill C-7, and our submission to the federal government’s Committee on Justice and Human Rights On Bill C-7. You can also read our responses in 2015 and 2016.

We will continue to support the work of Dying With Dignity Canada and the BC Civil Liberties Association in pressing for change.

Latest news

See more assisted dying posts.