The Final Nail in the Coffin: A List of Qualifying Categories

By Bill Vassilopoulos

Back in 2016, I wrote a blog questioning the legalization of euthanasia in Canada, warning that the initial promises of the legislation would inevitably lead to a slippery slope. I pointed to examples from other countries where the list of qualifying categories expanded with alarming speed. Today, that warning has become our reality. The practice now known as Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) has moved far beyond its original scope, raising profound ethical and legal concerns that feel, to me, like the final nail in the coffin.

The Erosion of Protection

I am currently investigating a deeply troubling report: there are claims that children aged 12 and over in Manitoba may no longer require parental consent to apply for MAiD. I want to be clear: according to current federal law and provincial guidelines (including those from Shared Health Manitoba), MAiD is strictly limited to individuals who are at least 18 years of age. While there is ongoing academic and political debate regarding "mature minors" and their rights to consent to other forms of medical treatment, it remains a fact that minors are currently ineligible for MAiD in Canada. I share these concerns because the conversation around expanding these criteria continues to evolve, and I believe we must remain vigilant against any movement that threatens the lives of our youngest and most vulnerable.

Last spring, we saw a heart-wrenching case in Alberta where a 27-year-old woman with autism was greenlit for MAiD. A judge ruled that her "right to die" trumped her father’s desperate attempts to protect her, despite his assertion that she was not terminally ill, but rather vulnerable due to mental health struggles.

From 2012 to 2020, I worked in Human Services advocating for adults with disabilities. During that time, I was trained to protect the very individuals who are now being left exposed by our legal system. We were taught to recognize the horrors of the historical Eugenics Movement—a period where vulnerable people were sterilized and stripped of their rights by doctors and governments who deemed them "unfit." We believed we had moved past those atrocities. Now, it seems, history is repeating itself.

The Role of the Advocate

For eight years, I supported individuals with their daily lives—from financial management and medical appointments to community integration and future planning. My colleagues and I were advocates, ensuring that the people we supported were valued, heard, and protected from outside forces that might exploit their vulnerability.

We recognized that individuals with disabilities often require a dedicated team to help navigate life’s most difficult decisions. Yet, the current MAiD framework seems to bypass this protective layer entirely. If people with disabilities are now permitted to make life-altering decisions regarding their own expiration, does that mean the role of parents, guardians, and support workers has been rendered obsolete? The mandate to protect the vulnerable has been lost in the name of "autonomy."

Choosing Life

I am personally affected by these judicial decisions because I have relatives who fall into the categories now being targeted by these expanding eligibility criteria. But my advocacy is not just for them—it is for everyone.

All people, regardless of ability, are highly valued. We all experience low and high moments; we all deserve a circle of support that refuses to give up on us. I am not giving up on the right to live. We need a resurrection in our hearts and minds to stop this modern revival of the Eugenics Movement. I am committed to pulling out those nails in the coffin, one by one.

• You are irreplaceable.

• You are unrepeatable.

• You are highly valued.

• You are NOT a burden.

We all need each other. Let’s work together to preserve the sanctity of every life.

Warmly, your friend,

Bill Vassilopoulos

Author, Eyes Above the Water

Protect Your Home: Eyes Above the Water

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