Lenten campaign 2026
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Canada’s bishops have spoken out strongly in favor of a bill introduced in the House of Commons. The bill, Private Member’s Bill C-218, would repeal a planned expansion of eligibility criteria for euthanasia.
Euthanasia has been legal for 10 years now in Canada, where it is called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Legalized in 2016, it accounted for 16,499 deaths in 2024 alone, representing more than 5% of all Canadian deaths that year.
But until now, the criteria to be eligible for MAiD had to include a physical health condition, such as illness or disability. Beginning in 2027, the planned expansion would allow MAiD for mental illness as a sole condition.
The Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has a strong record of opposing MAiD and seeking to limit its scope in Canadian society. They have doubled down on educating the faithful about why there is no "right to death" and the dangerous principles underlying the global march on euthanasia.
The most recent statement was approved by 14 Bishops from across Canada, who together form the Permanent Council, the CCCB’s most authoritative voice between Plenary Assembly meetings.
The CCCB statement read in part:
The CCCB supports Bill C-218, which seeks to stop “MAiD” for mental illness alone, and encourages the Catholic faithful, in communion with their local Bishop, and all people of goodwill, to express their support for the same. We further call on the government to allow free conscience voting on this matter, given its profound moral and social implications.
Human life is a gift that must be protected and valued at every stage and in every circumstance. As Canada’s Bishops have consistently affirmed, euthanasia and assisted suicide – whether for the sick, the dying, persons with disabilities, or those with mental illness – are always morally unacceptable. These actions disregard the inviolable dignity of every person, fracture family and relational bonds, and weaken our shared social responsibility to protect human life and provide care for the vulnerable and marginalized.
Empirical research, together with the expert judgment of many mental health professionals and suicide prevention organizations, affirms that it is not possible to determine whether a mental illness is irremediable. Peer-reviewed studies show that most patients with mental illness have positive long-term outcomes and experience “significant improvement over time,” offering them a horizon for hope and healing.
As Christians, our response to persons living with mental illness should be modelled after the powerful witness of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), who, rather than abandoning his neighbour in need, responded personally with charity, compassion, care, and self-sacrifice, acting as a bearer of God’s love and as a sign of hope.
Report of forced euthanasia
Their statement comes at a time when news outlets report on a recent case in which family members appeared to insist on euthanasia against the patient’s wishes.
People Magazine reported this week on a recent case study: Husband with ‘Caregiver Burnout’ Pushes Wife to End Her Life with Medical Aid in Dying Despite Her Wishes.
According to the report, the woman said she did not want to participate in euthanasia, “citing personal and religious values and beliefs.”
But her husband brought her back the next day, complaining of “caregiver burnout,” and requested another assessment. She died that evening.
