Reject advance MAID requests
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to reject allowing advance requests for MAID as proposed in Recommendation 21 of the 2023 Special Joint Committee. The government responds that it held national consultations, published a What We Heard report, and will refer advance requests to a Special Joint Parliamentary Committee in Winter 2026.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would block legalizing advance MAID requests that petitioners say risk coercion, misinterpretation and involuntary death for people who lose capacity.
- It preserves that decisions be made by people able to confirm consent, protecting the present interests of cognitively impaired individuals.
- It redirects focus toward increased funding for palliative, hospice and suicide prevention services petitioners request instead of expanding MAID.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Advance requests can respect prior autonomous choices for people who foresee incapacity and want their wishes honored.
- Prohibiting advance requests may leave some suffering people without a legally recognized option they planned for after losing capacity.
- Risk concerns can be addressed by procedural safeguards and careful legislation rather than an outright ban, and ongoing consultation may produce balanced rules.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS Persons who have made an advance request for MAID might no longer be able to confirm their wishes at the time of death. If their wishes change, they may not be able to express them. Advance requests rely on written documents describing a person's future condition and suffering. Doctors and family members might interpret the request differently from what the patient would have wanted. There is concern that advance requests could lead to coercion or undue pressure, especially for older adults or those with disabilities, to request MAID to avoid burdening families or the healthcare system. There are ethical concerns among some healthcare professionals that carrying out MAID based on an old request without current conformation could be seen as involuntary. There is a risk that death could be seen as a "benefit" contrary to what a patient might have desired. Predicting suffering in situations such as dementia, risks treating cognitive impaired individuals as objects of past instructions rather than persons who merit a fresh assessment of their present well-being. Canada should increase funding for palliative and hospice care and suicide prevention. Offering MAID rather than providing support services devalues those living in chronic conditions. THEREFORE We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reject any legislative recommendations that would permit the expansions of MAID, including advanced requests following a diagnosis of a serious and incurable medical condition, disease or disorder leading to incapability, as outlined in Recommendation 21 of the 2023 report by the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Health Signed by Maggie Chi Mental Assistance in Dying (MAID) is a complex, deeply personal issue for many people. While provinces and territories are responsible for the organization, management and delivery of health services in their jurisdiction, including end-of-life care services like MAID, the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and compassion. A Special Joint Parliamentary Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying considered the issue of advance requests in 2022, hearing from many witnesses expressing a range of perspectives, including personal experiences of individuals caring for loved ones who had lost capacity and concerns from health care providers on how to safely provide MAID when the individual is unable to consent at the time it is to be provided. In its 2023 report, the Committee recommended that the Criminal Code be amended to allow advance requests and that the Government of Canada engage with provinces and territories. In its response, which is available is online, the Government noted the complexity of the issues involved in advance requests. Subsequently, between late November 2024 to mid-February 2025, the Government of Canada undertook a national conversation on advance requests to hear from the Canadian public, patients, provincial and territorial health officials, health care providers, experts, stakeholders, Indigenous representatives and others on this complex issue. More than 47,000 people from across the country participated in these consultations on advance requests for MAID through an online public questionnaire, regional and national virtual roundtables, and public opinion research. The results were recently published in a “What We Heard Report” summarizing the key themes from that consultation. While the report does not include any recommendations, it reflects the range of perspectives expressed during the national conversation. It is available online: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-advance-requests-medical-assistance-dying/what-we-heard.html. As the report notes, the issue of advance requests for MAID is complex and further work and consultation is needed before consideration could be given to advance requests. The information in the “What We Heard Report” will inform the work of a new Special Joint Parliamentary Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying in Winter 2026.