While 95.6% of MAiD cases involve patients with a "reasonably foreseeable" death (e.g., terminal cancer), 4.4% (726 cases) were approved for chronic, non-terminal conditions. Track 2 cases (non-terminal) face stricter scrutiny, making up 24.2% of rejected requests.
Internal physician reports reveal patients seeking MAiD due to poverty, isolation or healthcare delays (average wait time: 27.7 weeks for specialist care). Critics argue MAiD has become a default solution for government failures rather than a dignified choice.
Almost 33% of MAiD recipients self-identified as disabled, with 61.5% in Track 2 cases. Women make up 56.7% of non-terminal euthanasia cases. Advocates warn of pressure on vulnerable patients, with some labeled "selfish" for refusing MAiD.
Canada plans to expand MAiD to mental illness by 2027, raising fears of further abuse. Critics argue MAiD prioritizes autonomy over prevention, with disability rights groups calling it "abandonment, not healthcare." The debate highlights a critical inflection point for Canadian society.
More than one in 20 deaths in Canada now result from government-sanctioned euthanasia, according to a new federal report, marking a profound shift in the nation's approach to end-of-life care. Health Canada's Sixth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), released in November, reveals that 16,499 Canadians received lethal injections under the program in 2024—representing 5.1% of all deaths nationwide, a steady increase from previous years.
The findings come amid heated debate over whether Canada's euthanasia framework—originally intended for terminally ill patients—has expanded too rapidly, with critics warning that vulnerable individuals, including those suffering from mental illness or lacking access to adequate healthcare, may be choosing death out of desperation rather than dignity.
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, MAiD is a legalized program initially intended for those with imminent death but now expanded to include individuals suffering from severe disabilities or chronic pain, even if their condition is not immediately life-threatening.
Since its legalization in 2016, Canada's MAiD program has grown more than thirteenfold, making it the fastest-growing assisted dying regime in the world. While Health Canada emphasizes that euthanasia is not classified as a cause of death under World Health Organization standards, independent estimates suggest it would rank as the sixth leading cause of mortality if included in official statistics.
The report notes that 95.6% of MAiD cases in 2024 fell under "Track 1," reserved for those with a "reasonably foreseeable" death, typically from terminal illnesses like cancer (cited in 63.6% of cases). However, 4.4%—roughly 726 individuals—were approved under "Track 2," which permits euthanasia for chronic, non-terminal conditions. Notably, Track 2 cases accounted for 24.2% of all rejected MAiD requests, indicating stricter scrutiny for non-terminal applicants....<<<Read More>>>...
