Bring Back Mercy: MAiD Is Not Inherently Merciful

By Bill Vassilopoulos

Once upon a time, there was a country named Canada that prided itself on a progressive legal code that viewed the death penalty as too cruel and unusual for even the most heinous criminals. Yet today, that same institutional structure has created a reality where, by the end of this year, an estimated cumulative total of nearly 100,000 of its citizens will have died through Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). According to federal tracking data, approximately 96% of those individuals are identified as Caucasian—a statistic that reflects how deeply this protocol has penetrated mainstream Canadian culture.

I truly fear for our most vulnerable. I spent nearly ten years of my professional life working as a program manager for a non-profit organization, actively defending, supporting, and advocating for people with a wide variety of disabilities. I can tell you from frontline experience that they are among the kindest, most intelligent, most generous, funniest, most resilient, and most life-filled people you will ever meet.

During those years, I constantly marveled at their parents. These families spent decades praying, fighting, and navigating dense institutional bureaucracies to secure the best services Canada could provide, ensuring their children could lead full, dignified, and meaningful lives. Today, that entire legacy of care is being undermined by a system that increasingly views an early exit as a viable solution to human dependency.

The Erosion of Family and Sanctuary

The legislative trajectory continues to push boundaries. By March 2027, the federal government is set to revisit the highly contentious expansion of MAiD to individuals suffering solely from mental health challenges and psychiatric disorders. This institutional push to normalize terminal interventions stands in stark, painful contrast to the traditional values of hands-on family care.

Not long ago, my wife and I cared for her 80-year-old parents while they lived under our roof. We managed their medical appointments, supported their daily needs, and ensured our young children were blessed to have their grandparents woven into the fabric of their everyday lives.

Tragically, in 2020 and 2022, we lost both of them. Because of rigid institutional restrictions and lockdowns, they died isolated in hospital rooms. Although we fought relentlessly against the administrative machinery to visit them, to hold their hands, and to reassure them that they had not been abandoned, the system locked us out. To this day, our family still does not have clear, transparent answers about the exact circumstances of how they passed.

My refusal to compromise on these principles of human connection had a steep cost. In 2020, I was forced to leave my position because I fundamentally disagreed with how the organization handled isolation mandates and restrictions. Heartbreakingly, after my departure, two of the vulnerable individuals I had spent years supporting died under deeply unclear circumstances.

The Illusion of a Modern Exit

I know what it feels like to watch people suffer through physical pain, and I know exactly what it looks like when a human being is facing the natural end of their life. What vulnerable people truly want—and what they fundamentally deserve—is a human being to hold their hand, look them in the eye, and tell them they are profoundly loved.

No one can escape physical death; it is an inevitable part of the human journey. But when death is artificially accelerated by clinical intervention, it leaves behind families who are deeply traumatized by the clinical abruptness of the event.

The public has been conditioned by social media narratives to view MAiD as an instantaneous, completely peaceful transition. But the clinical reality is far more complex. The chemical protocol—involving a potent mix of sedatives and paralytics—is a highly medicalized process. In many cases, the administration of these agents can stretch into prolonged periods, where the paralytic functions primarily to render the body perfectly still for the onlookers, masking the internal biological struggle. MAiD is not inherently merciful simply because it has been wrapped in sterile, institutional language.

What has happened to true mercy in Canada? Do we no longer possess the cultural stamina to care for our neighbors and elders when their lives become complex or demanding? Over the past decade, our society has become increasingly fractured, suspicious, and isolated. People no longer check in on one another the way they used to. This must change. As Canadian citizens, our history and our character prove that we are capable of far greater compassion than this.

A Safeguard for Your Journey

We must actively choose to restore a culture of life and protection. If you are concerned about navigating a healthcare system that increasingly defaults to terminal options, you must equip yourself with an independent advocate.

Stand in the Gap: Eyes Above the Water

To help you protect your family, I am continuing to offer a critical resource to my community. For every reader who purchases a copy of my book, eBook, or audiobook, Eyes Above the Water, I will mail you a Free Medical Directive Card and Health Declaration Form. This wallet-sized card is designed to be kept with your identification, establishing a firm, legally binding boundary that explicitly forbids unauthorized terminal interventions the moment you enter a hospital or health center.

For a limited time, you can secure the Eyes Above the Water eBook for $13.60 (regularly $17.00).

• Promo Code: SAVE20

Eyes Above the Water is the culmination of seven years of investigative research, theological reflection, and frontline interviews. It was written specifically to uncover the roots of our current social crisis and to restore a profound sense of hope and purpose to those who feel overwhelmed by the culture around them.

No matter how heavy the cultural current becomes, never forget these absolute truths:

• You are irreplaceable.

• You are unrepeatable.

• You are highly valued.

• You are NOT a burden. (Matthew 11:28, John 3:16)

Warmly, your friend,

Bill Vassilopoulos

Author, Eyes Above the Water

©2026 Bill Vassilopoulos. All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer: The contents of this website and book are for educational and advocacy purposes and do not replace professional medical advice.