Should assisted dying be extended to minors? Not so fast, some experts warn  

In a statement to Global News, Canada's human rights czar warned assisted dying 'cannot become the default' as questions swirl around extending MAID to minors.

Before moving ahead with expanding assisted dying, Parliament needs to address “failures” in the current regime for Canadians to see ending their life as the only option, says the interim chair of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

In a statement to Global News, Charlotte-Anne Malischewski says the federal government needs to take a closer look at what has happened since existing medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation came into force before extending this program to further populations.

“In particular, (Parliament) needs to focus on the many worrying accounts of individuals who have accessed or are considering accessing MAID because Canada is failing to fulfill their fundamental human rights,” Malischewski wrote in a statement to Global News.

“In an era where we recognize the right to die with dignity, we must do more to guarantee the right to live with dignity.”

The interim chair’s concerns come as MAID is poised to become available to those whose sole underlying condition is mental illness, a change that was to take effect next month but has been delayed until March 2024 due to concerns the health-care system might not be prepared for an expanded regime.

It also comes in the wake of a report tabled last week in the House of Commons from a special joint parliamentary committee of MPs and senators charged with reviewing the current assisted dying regime.

The committee recommended that physician-assisted death should be extended to mature minors in one of 23 proposed updates to the MAID program.

The term “mature minor” refers to a common law doctrine, endorsed by the Supreme Court of Canada, that allows children who are sufficiently mature to make their own treatment decisions.