A federal department helped fund the publication of a children’s “activity book” meant to inform young people about medical assistance in dying, or MAiD.
The book begins by saying it was “created for young people, like you, who have someone in their life who may have MAiD” and goes on to say the book answers “questions, thoughts and feelings” that children might have about medically assisted suicide.
“It is best suited to children aged 6–12,” it says.
The book ends with a small note crediting Health Canada for its “financial contribution,” through which it says the book’s production was “made possible.”
“The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada,” it adds.
The book’s eighth chapter is titled “A note for adults” and gives a number of suggestions for answering possible questions by children about MAiD.
“Adults sometimes worry that the answers to these questions may be ’too scary,' but if the child has asked the question, they have often imagined what the answer might be,” the book reads.
‘Three Different Medicines’
The book defines MAiD as using “medicines to stop the person’s body from working.”“When their body stops working, the person dies. This is done in a way that does not hurt the person. The medicines help them feel comfortable and peaceful,” it reads, later elaborating on the process of “three different medicines” being injected into the patient to induce a coma followed by death.
Another section titled “Why would someone want MAiD?” says that most people who choose medically assisted suicide do so because they are terminally ill.
“They are not choosing to die instead of live. They are choosing what will make their body die, when and where it will happen, and who they spend that time with,” it says.
The book goes on to explore other hypothetical questions, such as, “What if I (or someone else) don’t want them to have MAiD?”
The book answers this question by saying that MAiD is “a personal choice” and that “no one can decide for another person.”
“It is okay to feel angry, sad, confused, or upset about the person dying, or about them choosing MAiD,” it says, adding, “It can be very hard to hear other people disagree or even argue about MAiD. Sometimes people feel like they need to choose whose ’side' they’re on.”
The book has another section near its end titled “Information for adults” that runs through a list of potential questions and concerns parents or caregivers might have about the book before introducing it to children.
“These activity books include topics that can stir up strong feelings. Children may cry or become upset, or they may not seem to react at all,” it says, adding, “All of these are natural reactions.”
MAiD Eligibility
MAiD was set to become available in March 2023 to individuals whose only medical condition was severe mental illness, but Justice Minister David Lametti announced on Dec. 15 that the federal government would seek to delay the eligibility expansion to ensure the health-care system is prepared for it.“Some provinces, territories and those working in the health-care system say that more time is needed,” Lametti said during a press conference on Dec. 15.
Canada already has some of the most liberal assisted dying laws in the world. Although available only for those over age 18, concerns that MAiD could be extended to children were raised by Conservative MP Garnett Genuis after a doctor told a parliamentary committee in October that expanding the procedure to include children born with severe disabilities “could be explored.”
Conservative MP Garnett Genuis later responded to Roy saying, “Disability is no justification for killing children.”
The government currently has no legislative provisions to expand MAiD eligibility to include individuals younger than 18 years old.
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