7 Comments

Hey Eric there's just a small typo you should fix:

"Some members expressed concern that the assessors did not engage physiatry"

Otherwise good post. Thank you so much.

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I would also like to see a policy that takes into account consultation with numerous Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) communities so that their diversity of perspectives are represented.

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Hi Rachel. Health Canada has been engaging with Indigenous communities for that exact purpose. The newly released Fifth Annual Report on MAiD in Canada speaks to that effort. Appendix C. Page 67. Is it enough? Probably not. Could we do better? Definitely.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/health-system-services/annual-report-medical-assistance-dying-2023.html

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Ultimately, I want to see a MAiD policy that is best for all Canadians and I would like to see a coherent and consistent approach to suicide prevention that does not discriminate based on disability.

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Hi Dr. Mathison, Thank you for your work, the Ontario Cheif Coroner’s report is really important for us to consider. I would like to ask you which population you are writing to? Who is your target audience? Is it to people who already agree? Or is it to those with a potentially different perspective? Because as someone who thinks differently than you do, I find it quite challenging to read your posts. They seem to come across as if you think people who have concerns about maid have absolutely no reason to be concerned or think in ways that are not intelligent. I’m not sure if you actually feel that way or if this is something I’m just perceiving.

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Hi Rachel. This is a guest post, not something I wrote. Since I already wrote a couple shorter posts on the reports, this one is very in depth. The authors considered submitting it to a peer-reviewed journal, but asked me to publish it to get it out faster. Most of my subscribers are healthcare providers, lawyers, and academics, but some are just interested in MAID or bioethics more generally. My target audience isn't specifically people who are against MAID.

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Okay thanks for clarifying. I do think your posts could go a longer way if you took some time to acknowledge the other side. This is something I will plan to do in my own writings. Ultimately, there are things I agree with you on, and it would be nice to see the same from you. Thanks, Rachel

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