Bring Back Mercy

Bring Back Mercy

MAiD Is Not Inherently Merciful I Bill Vassilopoulos

Once upon a time, there was a country named Canada that was so liberal it believed the death penalty was too cruel even for the most heinous criminals—but not today.

By the end of this year, the Canadian government estimates that close to 100,000 of its citizens will have been euthanized through Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Of those, 96%—or 96,000—are identified as Caucasian or white.

I truly fear for the vulnerable. I spent nearly 10 years of my life working for a nonprofit organization defending and advocating for people with a variety of disabilities. I can tell you they are among the kindest, most intelligent, most generous, funniest, most resilient, and most life-filled people you will ever meet. I also marveled at their parents, who spent years praying and advocating for their children to receive the best services Canada could provide, ensuring they could lead full and meaningful lives. But now, that is all at risk.

In March 2027, Canada will revisit whether individuals with mental health challenges or disorders can qualify for MAiD without parental consent. During this same period, my wife and I cared for her 80-year-old parents while they lived with us. We took them to all their medical appointments and supported them in every way they needed. Our young children were blessed to have their grandparents as part of their everyday lives.

Sadly, in 2020 and 2022, we lost both of them. They died alone due to COVID lockdowns and restrictions. Although we fought relentlessly to visit them and reassure them that we had not abandoned them, the hospitals would not allow it. To this day, we still do not have clear answers about how they died.

I was forced to leave my job in 2020 because I disagreed with how the organization I worked for handled COVID restrictions and lockdowns. After I left, two of the individuals I supported died under unclear circumstances.

I know what it feels like to watch people suffer through pain, and I also know what it looks like when they are facing death. What vulnerable people truly want is someone to hold their hand and tell them they are loved. No one can escape death—it is part of life. But when death is accelerated, it leaves many people behind who are traumatized.

MAiD is not like euthanizing an animal that passes within minutes. MAiD injections or oral medications can take hours. What the public often does not realize is that MAiD is not inherently merciful simply because it is portrayed that way on social media.

What has happened to mercy in Canada? Do we no longer care for our fellow citizens and neighbors? Over the past 10 years, Canada has become increasingly divided. People are suspicious of one another and no longer check in on each other. This must change. We, as Canadian citizens, are better than this.

I want to remind Canadians:

You are irreplaceable.
You are unrepeatable.
You are highly valued.
You are not a burden (Matthew 11:28).

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Warmly, Your friend,
Bill Vassilopoulos