Presentation at the EPC Press Conference on October 7 in support of Bill C-218 Odile Marcotte Je m'appelle Odile Marcotte et suis professeure retraitée de l'Université du Québec à Montréal et ancienne directrice adjointe du Centre de recherches mathématiques. Je suis de très prés le débat sur l'euthanasie depuis 2010 et suis membre du Conseil de la Coalition pour la prévention de l'euthanasie.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Alex Schadenberg It is too early to assess what will happen now that Bill C-218, the private members bill that was sponsored by Tamara Jansen (MP) was defeated in parliament by a vote of 181 to 147 on October 7. Bill C-218 would have amended the Criminal Code to prevent euthanasia for mental illness as a sole criteria.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The Belga News reported on October 7, 2026 that almost 25% of all Belgium euthanasia deaths are people who are not terminally ill. Belga News reported: Almost a quarter of euthanasia cases in Belgium involve patients who are not terminally ill, meaning their death is not expected in the near future.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Dr Gary Rodin Dr Gary Rodin and Dr Madeline Li, who are both professors of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, co-wrote an article that was published in the New York Times on October 5 titled: Assisted Death is not a choice of last resort in Canada. Rodin and Li begin the article by explaining that both of them work with patients with advanced cancer, both have counselled and assessed patients for the "procedure" and one of them has administered the drugs (poison) to end a persons life.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Last week I reported on the failed Tennessee lethal injection execution of Christa Pike. I explained how the concerns with failed execution deaths also apply to failed euthanasia and/or assisted suicide deaths.
Media Advisory Bill C-218, the bill to prevent MAiD for Mental Illness as a sole criteria, to go to a vote on October 7. Bilingual Press Conference: Wednesday, October 7, at 11 am Parliamentary Press Gallery - Room 135B West Block The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is hosting a press conference at the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa on October 7 at 11 am.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Dan Hart wrote an article that was published in the Washington Stand on September 29, 2026 about Canada's euthanasia law. Hart begins his article by commenting on Brigitte Stegemann (83) who was a grand mother and a Christian who recently died by euthanasia.
On Wednesday, September 30, Tennessee had it’s second consecutive botched lethal injection execution, this time it was Christa Pike. The concerns related to botched execution deaths also apply to botched euthanasia and/or assisted suicide deaths.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Dr Leslyn Lewis (MP) Dr Leslyn Lewis, the Member of Parliament from Haldimand-Norfolk, responded to the comments by Pope Leo , while he was in Lourdes France, concerning euthanasia and assisted suicide. Dr Lewis stated on X : Every human life has dignity, especially in moments of vulnerability.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition I was talking with Frank Panico, who filmed and edited the Life Worth Living film , about the film festivals that we entered the Life Worth Living film . While going through the list we noticed that Life Worth Living was considered in several film festivals, it was screened in a few festivals and it won at the Niagara International Film Festival in June 2026.
Alex Schadenberg Executive Director Euthanasia Prevention Coalition On Wednesday, September 30, Tennessee had it's second consecutive botched lethal injection execution, this time it was Christa Pike. The concerns related to botched execution deaths also apply to botched euthanasia and/or assisted suicide deaths.
Kristin Logan left Canada to seek cancer treatment in the United States after waiting nine months for a diagnosis and receiving a pamphlet about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) before seeing an oncologist. Since moving to the U.S., Logan's condition has improved significantly, and she credits the outstanding medical care she has received there for her better prognosis.
Sean, who suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder along with several non-life-threatening physical conditions, experienced numerous negative encounters with emergency hospital services. The family hopes that sharing Sean's story will support opposition to expanding Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) eligibility for individuals with mental illness.
Kristin Logan left Canada to obtain cancer treatment in the United States after waiting nine months for a diagnosis and being given a Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) pamphlet by Canadian doctors. She reported that doctors in Canada effectively gave her a death sentence and advised her on how to carry it out, as discussed in an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News.
A group of medical professionals sent a letter to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee stating that healthcare professionals should never assist with executions following the botched lethal injection execution of Tony Carruthers on May 21, 2026 in Tennessee. Austin Sarat reported that Tony Carruthers was taken to the execution chamber where the state of Tennessee began the process of putting him to death.
Debbie Fisher wrote a letter to Members of Parliament urging support for Bill C-218, which will be voted on October 7. She expressed concern that mental illness might lead individuals to request medical aid in dying and emphasized the need to help people with mental illness rather than assist them in dying.
St Timothy Anglican Church Hall in Hatchet Lake, Nova Scotia, is hosting a free Hot Potato evening in early October to provide information about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Staff from the MAiD program will deliver a presentation on the criteria, process, and considerations related to MAiD. The event aims to educate attendees about the legal aspects of MAiD rather than unrelated topics, as indicated by the promotional material and the involvement of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition's Executive Director, Alex Schadenberg.
Pope Leo, speaking in Lourdes, France, condemned euthanasia and assisted suicide, emphasizing the dignity of human life. He acknowledged the suffering of those with illnesses and pain but rejected causing death under the guise of false compassion.
Bill C-218, which aims to prevent euthanasia for mental illness as the sole criterion, has undergone debates in the Canadian Parliament and is scheduled for a vote on October 7, 2026, with opposition from Bloc Québécois and support from some Conservative MPs. The debate includes concerns about the unpredictability of psychiatric prognoses, the risk of premature death for potentially recoverable patients, and the impact of euthanasia availability on suicide prevention and psychiatric treatment effectiveness.
Bill C-218, which aims to prevent euthanasia for mental illness as the sole criterion, had its first hour of debate on December 5, 2025, and its second hour on September 23, 2026, with a vote scheduled for October 7, 2026. During the September 23 debate, Luc Thériault (Montcalm) of the Bloc Québécois opposed Bill C-218 and supported euthanasia for mental illness as a sole criterion.
Michael Cooper spoke in parliament on September 23, 2026, in support of Bill C-218, which aims to prevent euthanasia (MAiD) when mental illness is the sole criterion. He described the bill as the 'right to recover act,' emphasizing its goal to offer hope and help to those with mental health challenges rather than allowing state-sanctioned death.
Tamara Jansen delivered a speech in parliament on September 23, 2026, supporting Bill C-218, which aims to prevent Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) from being granted solely based on mental illness. She referenced the case of Kiano Vafaeian, a 26-year-old who sought MAiD in Ontario at age 23 after struggling with Type 1 diabetes, mental health issues following a car accident, and vision loss, with his mother Margaret opposing his decision.
Brigitte Stegemann was euthanized under Canada's assisted dying system despite explicitly stating she did not want MAiD and being deemed competent by Dr. Kate Koester despite failing competency questions and having severe hearing impairment.
Brigitte Stegemann was declared competent despite not answering the competency questions during an assessment related to euthanasia. The Daily Mail published an article about an 83-year-old Christian grandmother who was euthanized against her will under Canada's assisted dying system, and the story has been confirmed as true despite some online doubts.
The spread of assisted suicide and euthanasia legalization and the resulting pressure on doctors to participate despite many refusing. It highlights the use of coercion, including threats to doctors' professional licenses, as a method to ensure compliance, citing bioethics advocates like Ezekiel Emanuel, Julian Savulescu, and Peter Singer.
Shawn Bauman, a 55-year-old man from Vancouver Island, fell in his living room on May 9, 2025, and was euthanized twelve days later on May 21, 2025. He was not terminally ill, having previously survived cancer and heart surgery, and his family has been unable to obtain his medical records.
Brigitte Stegemann, an 83-year-old woman in Ontario, Canada, was euthanized under the country's assisted dying system despite showing visible distress and opposition to the procedure, with her family alleging it was done without her express consent and questioning her competency. Her granddaughter, who was also her caregiver and medical power of attorney, is appealing to authorities to investigate the legality and circumstances of the euthanasia, citing concerns about the conduct of medical staff and the manner in which the procedure was presented and carried out.
Brigitte Stegemann, an 83-year-old woman, was euthanized under Canada's assisted dying system, as reported by Imogen Garfinkel in the Daily Mail. Her family is now challenging Canada's euthanasia laws following her death. Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, referenced articles about Brigitte Stegemann's case and his family's experience with Medical Assistance in Dying in July and September publications.
Kelsi Sheren discusses the first Dutch case under the expanded child life-termination framework, expressing horror that suffering was used to justify ending the life of a two-year-old who could not consent. She draws on her experience covering euthanasia and MAiD, noting the clinical language used to describe these irreversible actions.
The Netherlands reported its first euthanasia death of a child under 12 years old at the end of 2025, involving a 2-year-old born prematurely with severe disabilities including cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The article draws a historical parallel to the Nazi euthanasia program initiated in 1939, and notes ongoing debates in Canada about expanding euthanasia to include children, with some hospitals considering policies that allow euthanasia without parental consent.
