On Wednesday March 16, in recognition of the anniversary of Bill C-7, we gathered to hear what this significant legal change has meant for Canadians, and what the future of MAID in Canada could look like.   Panelists included: Gary Anandasangaree, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. He is an internationally recognized human rights lawyer and community activist who has advocated tirelessly for education and justice. In honour of his devotion to community service and local advocacy, he has received both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubile ..read more

One year ago, the legislation with respect to medical assistance in dying (MAID) changed and broadened eligibility with the passage of Bill C-7. There was strong support for the changes in the law, and Canadians advocated passionately for them. The three main changes in Bill C-7 included:  ..read more

In celebration of Social Work Week, we interviewed Shelley Aronov about her role as MAID coordinator at Humber River Hospital.  ..read more

In this blog post, Jose shares what it is like to live with an invisible disability and a progressive condition. In addition to being a proponent for better rehabilitation options for those who are recovering from a brain injury, Jose advocates for advance requests for MAID. He wants improvements to the system to help people live life to the fullest; he also wants the option to pre-plan for end-of-life.  Content warning: The topic of suicide is mentioned in this piece.  ..read more

My Grandpa J was diagnosed with dementia around 2015. At the time, I couldn’t have imagined him as he is now, at 99, curled up in a wheelchair, barely mobile, only faint hints of recognition in his glassy eyes as he surveyed the crowd of onlookers that resembled his family. But this was no longer imagination: it has become my new reality.  ..read more

A “forced transfer” occurs when a patient is made to move locations for an assisted death because the facility they are in forbids medical assistance in dying (MAID). This usually involves the patient leaving their community of care and being transferred from one health care facility to another. Already suffering, when their health is fragile, patients experience stress and feel stigmatized for their choice to access MAID and end their suffering.   In this story, the transfer was to a different floor in the hospital – a compromise that was made after a MAID provision was to be delaye ..read more

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Nora is a writer, editor, blogger, teacher, translator, interpreter and a presenter for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Chapter of Dying With Dignity Canada ..read more

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Content warning: The topic of suicide is mentioned in this piece ..read more