The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has told policymakers that plans to expand Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) for mentally unwell patients “fundamentally devalues human life and normalizes suicide.”
MAiD had been reserved for those whose deaths were reasonably foreseeable but a 2019 court ruling expanded this requirement with “Track 2” introduced for those who suffer from a “grievous and irremediable” condition. The exclusion for mental unwellness for MAiD expires from March 17, 2027, under the current framework.
The EFC expressed concerns in a letter sent April 20 to the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying in Ottawa, which is currently reviewing the expiration of the exclusion.
“We are gravely concerned that expanding eligibility on the basis of mental illness would disproportionately impact marginalized Canadians and undermine suicide prevention in Canada,” wrote the EFC.
The EFC reminded the committee that the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in an April 15, 2025 report, recommended that Canada repeal the expansion of “Track 2 MAiD” to allow people with mental illness to receive help to die.
The EFC added that the current system has serious problems, noting that the law does not require patients to try all available treatments.
Furthermore, the evangelical group pointed out that under existing frameworks, a psychiatrist is not strictly required for evaluation — a safeguard the EFC argues is essential if mental illness is ever included as an eligible condition.
“It only requires that eligible patients be informed of treatment options and seriously consider them,” read the EFC letter, noting Statistics Canada reporting a sharp increase in mental disorders in the past decade, especially within marginalized groups.
Other concerns include subjectivity in assessments — “What is a grievous or serious illness? An advanced state of irreversible decline? Who decides?”
The EFC feared that people with mental illness could face pressure to opt for MAiD and strongly urged robust safeguards to protect the vulnerable if the expansion goes ahead.
“MAID for mental illness must not become an option — and particularly not the most accessible option — when mental health care may not be accessible or affordable, when treatment and support are not available.”
In comments sent to Christian Daily International, Julia Beazley, director of the EFC’s Centre for Faith and Public Life, said each person carries intrinsic value as a creation of God.
“The idea that our lives can lose meaning or value with age, illness, loss of ability or capacity, or that some lives are less valuable than others, is so contrary to what the Bible teaches,” said Beazley.
“We believe that each and every person is made by God, in His image and loved by Him. Each person’s life has dignity and value as one who bears the image of God, and none of this depends on our health or social condition, on our age or abilities, or on our productivity. It is God who gives us life and has a purpose for our days.”
These biblical truths inform the EFC’s ongoing work on the issue of MAiD, added Beazley.
“We call out and stand against the implicit lie underlying our MAiD laws that says that some lives are no longer worth living and can — and maybe should — be ended,” she said. “This is a devaluing of life and it fosters despair.”
Beazley said the EFC continues to be concerned about approaches to mental illness in regard to medical assistance in dying.
“We are concerned that suicidal thoughts and a closed view of the future are symptoms of some mental illnesses,” said Beazley.
“There has been a significant increase in the number of Canadians experiencing mental illness, and at the same time, significant challenges accessing proper treatment. More people are struggling and there is a lack of accessible, affordable and timely services and support.
“This expansion will further normalize suicide and put at risk the lives of marginalized people.”
Beazley encouraged Christians to pray for family members, friends, and neighbors struggling with mental health issues. She also requested prayer for Canada’s leaders as they study the issue, and “for a law to be passed to stop the expansion.”
A private member’s bill, C-218, brought by Tamara Jansen, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Cloverdale—Langley City, could change the situation. The bill calls for people with mental illness to be excluded from MAiD and given better supportive treatment. The EFC is praying it will be accepted.
“We are also praying — and asking others to pray — that our society would see all lives as having meaning and value,” added Beazley.
“We pray for medical professionals to be able to care well for their patients, and for the ability to have MAiD-free spaces, to protect medical professionals and to offer patients a safe place where they know MAiD won’t be suggested to them.
“We pray that our churches would be places of welcome and safety, where people can share their struggles and find support and community.”
