Abolishing MAiD

Abolishing MAiD
Time to Save Our Children I Bill Vassilopoulos

Medical Assistance in Dying is being presented as compassion—but in reality, it risks normalizing death as a solution to suffering.

Financial hardship is not a reason for MAiD in any G7 nation. A 12-year-old battling anxiety or depression should not be considered eligible without parental consent. Mental health challenges, no matter how severe, should never be met with a pathway to death. Canada has built systems—mental health facilities, hospitals, and support networks—to care for the vulnerable, not to give up on them.

Canada once had to abolish the death penalty.
Now it’s time to abolish MAiD.

Yet a dangerous narrative is growing. Social media is flooded with performative compassion that distorts the value of human life. The truth is simple: we were never meant to be happy all the time. Resilience, endurance, and learning to find meaning through hardship are what sustain us. No lasting relationship exists because everything was easy—strong bonds are forged in difficulty.

The “pursuit of happiness” is often misunderstood. Happiness is not a constant state; it is not a prize handed out without effort. A life without struggle produces no depth, no growth, and no real sense of purpose.

MAiD risks becoming the ultimate shortcut—a final decision offered by professionals who may not fully understand a person’s story. It can quietly suggest that a life marked by pain is no longer worth living. But what if that moment of despair is temporary? What if choosing life leads to something meaningful beyond what can be seen right now?

I know this because I survived a suicide attempt at 18.
If I had died then:

• My parents would have buried their son

• My siblings would have lost their brother

• My wife, children, and grandchildren would never exist

Pain passes. Death doesn’t.

We need better care—not faster exits.

None of that would exist if I had given up in my darkest moment.

Life is not easy—it never has been. But it is still worth living.

MAiD is not a solution; it can become the beginning of lifelong grief for those left behind. There is something within us—a deep, divine soul—that recognizes the value of life, even in suffering.

Canada must take a hard look at where this is heading. By March 2027, there are plans to revisit eligibility, including discussions around minors. There are also ongoing considerations involving individuals with PTSD, autism, FASD, Parkinson’s disease, and other mental health and neurological conditions. Quebec has also explored expanding policies involving children with severe disabilities, raising serious ethical concerns about how far these boundaries could go.

This raises a critical question: are we expanding care—or expanding access to death?

It is not a true choice when the option of MAiD is introduced by a professional without the patient asking for it. That crosses into coercion. In any other context, encouraging someone toward death would be treated as deeply unethical—if not criminal. The standard should not change simply because it is happening within the healthcare system.

This must stop.

If you want to understand this issue more deeply, read Eyes Above the Water. It shares real stories—of struggle, of loss, and of hope—and offers a path forward in confronting this growing crisis.

For a limited time, the ebook (reg $12.99) is available for $9.99 with the promo code SAVE30.

Always remember:

• You are irreplaceable

• You are unrepeatable

• You are highly valuable

• You are not a burden (John 3:16)

Warmly, Your friend,

Bill Vassilopoulos