Rescind MAID for mental illness

AI summary

Petitioners ask Parliament to pass Bill C-218 to bar MAID for people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. The government responds that such people are currently ineligible; a committee will report by Oct 2, 2026.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS • Canadians with mental illness should be provided with treatment and support; • Mental illness is complex and can include suicidal thoughts as a symptom; • The lives of Canadians with mental illness will be at risk when they are eligible for medical assistance in dying (MAID) on the basis of mental illness alone, especially when treatment and support are not readily available. Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to support Bill C-218 which would reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole medical condition.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Signed by THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY PATRICIA LATTANZIO Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a complex and deeply personal matter with diverging views across the country. To accommodate these views, the legal framework for MAID balances different interests and societal values. In Canada, eligibility for MAID is limited to adults who meet all the eligibility criteria and procedural safeguards. To be eligible, an individual must have a grievous and irremediable medical condition, meaning that they have a serious and incurable illness, disease or disability; are in an advanced state of irreversible decline; and are experiencing intolerable and enduring suffering. Individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, however, are not currently eligible for MAID in Canada. The Special Joint Parliamentary Committee on MAID (AMAD) began meeting in March 2026 to study the issue of MAID where mental illness is the sole underlying condition, as required by former Bill C-62, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2. The work of this committee is crucial to assessing whether we have sufficiently progressed in working out these challenges. The committee is expected to submit its final report to Parliament no later than October 2, 2026. The Government looks forward to reviewing AMAD’s report and recommendations. The Government is committed to supporting the mental health of Canadians. We are working closely with provinces and territories to change the way the healthcare system delivers mental health services to people in Canada. As part of a $200 billion, 10-year investment (starting in 2023-24), the federal government has signed bilateral agreements with all 13 provinces and territories, including $25 billion for shared priorities such as expanding mental health and substance use services. The Government continues to work with all partners and stakeholders to ensure that the safety and security of vulnerable populations and individuals on this deeply personal issue is prioritized.