Federal government reluctant to expand MAID eligibility

The federal government has decided to delay a decision that would make mental illness a sufficient requirement for patients looking to receive medical assistance in dying (MAiD).

Parliament updated the requirements for MAiD back in 2021, opening up the assisted suicide program to those seeking it solely for mental disorders.

READ MORE: Eligibility for MAiD set to expand in new year for those with mental illness

The move made Monday comes ahead of a looming deadline, which is set for March 17 and seeks to incorporate the expanded measure.

Mark Holland, Canada’s health minister, said that the country isn’t ready for such a significant step. “We need more time. We’ll be in a position in the coming days to talk about how much time we believe is required.”

A final report from a joint parliamentary committee found that several fundamental issues surrounding the decision had yet to be resolved.

Included in the report was a concern on behalf of the practitioners and the challenges surrounding the determination of what constitutes an irremediable medical condition.

Those seeking MAiD have to fall under a very specific criteria which includes factors surrounding age, medical condition and informed consent.

The Liberals have been facing growing opposition pressure to delay this specific expansion, which has already been delayed once before — with the NDP calling for more mental health support first and several Tory MPs calling for it to be scrapped outright.

Proponents of the expansion say that another delay could amount to discrimination and are calling on the government to share their next steps soon.

The Liberal government says it will introduce legislation with its plans for the delay but has not shared what that timeline will look like.