“MAiD in CANADA (Autumn, 2026)- Another Wrong Turn or Back on Track?”**
Gold’s Legal Minute*GLM*
By Allan Gold, lawyer Montreal and elder law attorney
Vol. 17, #9 – October 31, 2026
OPENING
In the fall of 2026, “The $64,000 question” in Canada is whether people suffering solely from mental illness should qualify for MAID, i.e., Medical Assistance in Dying, That’s a legal end-of-life procedure in Canada performed by a clinician using prescribed medication. Yes, this is an important, complex, or decisive question that people most want to know the answer to, but which is very difficult to resolve.
“Canada Data: According to Statistics Canada and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, roughly 1 in 5 Canadians experience mental illness or a significant mental health problem annually, and about 50% of the population will experience a mental illness by age 40.” 1
“The population of Canada reached an estimated 41,798,407 people on July 1, 2026,” 2
That $64,000 question isn’t just a matter of money. Instead, it’s a matter of 835,968 persons!
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“Getting lost is not a waste of time. To find your way is to appreciate the journey.” — Unknown
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#1 DATELINE: OTTAWA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026
In an article titled, “Ontario court denies Toronto woman with bipolar disorder emergency access to MAID,” Kristy Kirkup, National Health Reporter reported “An Ontario judge denied an emergency motion that would have allowed Claire Brosseau, who suffers solely from mental illness, to apply for MaiD.” — Claire Brosseau’s legal battles underscore debate over whether patients with mental illness should be able to access medical help to die. 3
Brosseau et al v. Attorney General of Canada CV-24-00725921-0000
Here are the facts:
- The application of Claire Elyse Brosseau sought an emergency stay for the exclusion for MAID eligibility for persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness.
- The motion was denied by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
- As a result Mme Brosseau wasn’t granted emergency access to MAID eligibility.
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“Sometimes a wrong turn takes you to the right place.” — Unknown
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#2 DATELINE: CANADA OCT. 27 2026:
“Ottawa tables new MAID legislation, excluding people suffering solely from mental illness, Legislation also sets criteria for ‘advance requests’ for medically assisted death”Jillian Kestler-D’Amours · CBC News · reports, “ The Canadian federal government has tabled Bill C-41, the Medical Assistance in Dying Safeguard Act, introducing major changes to Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) rules: …..The federal government has tabled new legislation that indefinitely excludes people suffering solely from mental illness from qualifying for medically assisted death and opens the door for Canadians to request MAID before they lose the capacity to consent.” 4
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“There are no wrong turns. Only unexpected paths.” — Mark Nepo
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Obviously, the Canadian Government agonized over this. For me, it’s a wise move. And it’s about time.
#4 DATELINE: MONTREAL October 29 2026
In an opinion piece, entitled, “Encore de pauvres «fous» face à l’aide médicale à mourir,” Emmanuelle Latraverse wrote:
“…En déposant un projet de loi pour permettre les demandes anticipées, Ottawa joue encore une fois du hockey de rattrapage. Tant mieux pour les patients québécois atteints d’un diagnostic d’Alzheimer ou d’autre maladie neurodégénérative.
Mais pour ceux qui souffrent exclusivement de troubles mentaux, on repassera. Loin de maintenir la porte ouverte à un traitement enfin équitable pour ces patients, le fédéral la ferme à double tour
….
Au Québec, le Collège des médecins, les psychiatres, l’Association québécoise pour le droit de mourir dans la dignité se sont tous désolés de la discrimination imposée aux personnes souffrant de troubles mentaux.
…
Aujourd’hui Dying with Dignity Canada et Claire Elyse Brosseau, atteinte de trouble bipolaire et d’un syndrome de stress post-traumatique, contestent devant les tribunaux qu’on lui refuse l’AMM.
Encore une fois, plutôt que d’assumer ses responsabilités, Ottawa va attendre que les tribunaux lui forcent la main.” 5
QUEBEC LAW: Charte des droits et libertés de la personne (chapitre C-12 )
“2. Tout être humain dont la vie est en péril a droit au secours.
Toute personne doit porter secours à celui dont la vie est en péril, personnellement ou en obtenant du secours, en lui apportant l’aide physique nécessaire et immédiate, à moins d’un risque pour elle ou pour les tiers ou d’un autre motif raisonnable.1975, c. 6, a. 2.”
COMMENTARY
If every human being whose life is in danger has the right to assistance. And every person must provide assistance to anyone whose life is in danger. It follows that we must aid those persons suffering solely from mental illness. For me, that aid is not help to die!
NOTEWORTHY
Allan J Gold is now featured in FeedSpot Top 90 Canada Law Blogs. Check it out at https://bloggers.feedspot.com/canada_law_blogs/
As well, Allan J Gold can be found at https://www.lexblog.com/site/allan-j-gold-blog/
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“You don’t know what I have to go through or over or under to do your job for you. I do it my way. I do my best to protect you and I may break a few rules, but I break them in your favor. The client comes first, unless he’s crooked”– Philip Marlowe in Raymond Chandler’s 1939 hardboiled detective novel, The Big Sleep.
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CONCLUSION
While I see the argument that it’s discriminatory to deny people suffering solely from mental illness from qualifying for MAID, I don’t believe it succeeds. Instead, I submit that the law in Quebec REQUIRES us to protect people. It is my belief that the obligation to protect such people supersedes allegations of discrimination. It also feels more right to protect someone suffering from mental illness than to provide him or her the means to die.
ALLAN J. GOLD, lawyer Montreal, elder law attorney.
www.allanjgold.com
NOTICE – CAUTION –DISCLAIMER
The material provided herein is of a general nature, strictly for informational purposes. The interpretation and analysis is not to be misapplied to a personal situation with a particular set of facts. Under no circumstances, are the herein suggestions and tips, intended to bring a reader to the point of acting or not acting, but instead, the hope is that they are to be a cause for pause and reflection. It is specifically declared that this content is not to be a replacement of, or a substitution for, legal or any other appropriate advice. To the contrary, for more information on these presents, related subjects or any other questions, it is the express recommendation of the author that everyone seek out and consult a qualified professional or competent adviser.
- https://cmha.ca/find-info/mental-health/general-info/fast-facts/f
- https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/260923/dq260923a-eng.htm
- https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-court-denies-emergency-access-to-maid-for-toronto-woman-with/
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-maid-legislation-9.7397903
- https://www.qub.ca/article/encore-de-pauvres-fous-face-a-l-aide-medicale-a-mourir-807973733?silent_auth=true