Medical Tyranny

Medical Tyranny:

Policing Mental Health I Bill Vassilopoulos

As crime rates across Canada rise and police forces face significant staffing shortages, a troubling new trend has emerged: citizens are being detained for psychological assessments without ever having seen a psychiatrist or mental health professional in a clinical setting.

For years, Canadians have struggled to access mental health support for themselves, their loved ones, co-workers, and neighbors. Yet, police officers apparently now have the time to track down individuals based on assessments made by doctors in public spaces.

Case in point: social media is buzzing today with a video of a police officer pulling over an adult male who happens to be a biophysicist and neuroscientist with published academic research. The young scientist showed absolutely no signs of mental distress; he answered questions clearly, remaining calm and rational throughout the interaction. A psychiatrist had joined the police for this specific traffic stop. The officer informed the young man that he had to come with them because a resident psychiatrist, a Dr. Emery, had labeled him “certifiable”—in other words, mentally unfit—for speaking out against the government. A lot of Canadians are feeling very disturbed right now because of this incident.

There was no paperwork presented to support this allegation, and no adherence to the rule of law. It happened simply because a female psychiatrist at a café reported the scientist to Vancouver Coastal Health and the Vancouver Police Department. The man was flatly told that if he didn’t cooperate, he would be arrested. He was deemed “certified” under the Mental Health Act by these off-duty doctors without a formal mental health evaluation. He was psychiatrically detained. This bears all the hallmarks of medical tyranny. (Sources: “Mixreport” "Mario4thenorth")

As a former program manager and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer (ASIST Master Trainer) who worked for nearly a decade with people facing various disabilities and mental health crises, I know firsthand how difficult the system can be. I used to struggle tremendously to get people help at hospitals when they were in the middle of an acute mental health crisis. In fact, it was nearly impossible to get a psychiatric nurse to perform an assessment in the emergency room. It was a stressful, exhausting ordeal, often requiring a 12-hour wait just to get someone to look at a person in desperate need of mental health support.

In my book, Eyes Above the Water, I interviewed a psychiatric nurse who expressed his own immense frustrations trying to get families proper help in the ER. You can read about it in chapter one, "Crying Wolf."

Friends, if police now have the power to detain people at random based on doctors conducting informal assessments outside of clinics and hospitals, we are all in danger. Anyone could be falsely accused of being “certifiable” by a doctor who simply disagrees with your opinions or worldview.

Consider the broader context of recent legislation. Think about the powers introduced in Bill S-5 regarding medical data and interventions, or Bill C-22, which grants police extraordinary powers to monitor social media without a warrant. Look at Bill C-8, which authorizes the government to cancel phone subscriptions, or Bill C-9, which opens the door to labeling scripture in the Bible as hate literature. How are these bills passing so rapidly without public consent or robust debate in Parliament? When fear rises and trust erodes the system gets broken leaving Canadians worried about their future in Canada.

Furthermore, I am deeply concerned about the implications for individuals with mental health challenges becoming eligible for MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) in March 2027. What will happen if someone is simply having a bad day and expresses hopelessness? How easily could those words be misinterpreted? Vulnerable people may be at risk of being coerced into MAID if they are experiencing brain fog, sleep deprivation, or impaired judgment and are not properly assessed. Canada has already seen cases in which MAID was approved in less than 24 hours, including for an elderly woman recovering from surgery at the request of her husband. She did not have a terminal or irreversible illness. We cannot continue down this path with MAID. Finally, we cannot allow doctors to call already overwhelmed police departments to detain individuals who are not even their patients.

I want to remind everyone reading this:

• You are irreplaceable.

• You are unrepeatable.

• You are highly valued and wonderfully made. (John 3:16, Psalm 139:14)

• You are NOT a burden. (Matthew 11:28-29)

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Warmly, your friend,

Bill Vassilopoulos

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.