Numerous veterans are being offered MAID in Canada, according to new testimony

A combat veteran, author, and business owner has testified before the Canadian parliament that 20 veterans have been offered Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) when attempting to request health care.

Key Takeaways:

• After legalizing MAiD in 2016, Canada became a world leader in assisted suicide and euthanasia.

• MAID has become the fifth leading cause of death in Canada.

• People have been encouraged to die due to poverty, disability, and mental illness.

• Veterans have also been increasingly speaking out about being offered MAiD when they try to access health care.

The Details:

Kelsi Sheren is a combat veteran and CEO of Brass & Unity who recently testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs about MAiD, and the number of veterans being pressured to die. Those who resist are alleged to have had their benefits threatened.

“We have 20 with written proof, more with audio recordings, and case managers admitting it,” Sheren said. “Others are too afraid to come forward—they’ve had their benefits threatened.”

Sheren claimed that more are afraid to speak about their experiences, fearing retaliation.

Additionally, in a press conference, she criticized the MAiD industry for exploiting veterans struggling with PTSD and other mental illnesses.

“Behind closed doors, in quiet conversations, veterans are being offered medical assistance in dying; not therapy, not recovery, not support, but death,” Sheren said. “When somebody’s drowning in trauma and desperation, that’s not a choice. That’s coercion wearing a polite face.”

She added that finances seemingly play a role, too.

“This isn’t compassion,” she said. “It’s a moral rot disguised as mercy. Veterans are being told their lives cost too much money. That’s not health care, it’s surrender.”

The Backstory:

The issues raised by Sheren have been brought up before; MAiD has been offered as a way to save money, with doctors allegedly pressuring patients to choose assisted suicide instead of treatment as a cost-saving measure.

There have also been reports of euthanasia due to poverty, lack of adequate housing, a lack of disability-friendly housing, and more. Even people seeking help from suicide hotlines have been encouraged to consider MAiD.

There have also been veterans who have come forward about being pressured to die while seeking treatment from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). These veterans have often struggled with PTSD, mental illness, and substance abuse for years before seeking help, and when they do, they are told to just seek death.

Christine Gauthier, a veteran and Paralympian, was one of these veterans. She had asked only for a wheelchair ramp and was offered euthanasia instead.

“I have a letter saying that if you’re so desperate, madam, we can offer you MAiD, medical assistance in dying,” Gauthier said. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe that you will… give me an injection to help me die, but you will not give me the tools I need to help me live.’ It was really shocking to hear that kind of comment.”

The Bottom Line:

By legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia, Canada has encouraged people with suicidal ideation to die rather than to fight to live.