We're tweeting from tonight's Special Joint Committee on #MAiD (#AMAD) meeting. The theme is the "protection" of persons with disabilities.
Tonight, we expect to hear from @DrHeid, @ProfTimSUBC, and Dave Shannon amongst others.
Here's the link: parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/Pow…
Tonight, we expect to hear from @DrHeid, @ProfTimSUBC, and Dave Shannon amongst others.
Here's the link: parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/Pow…
We're a bit cynical about the objective of protecting people with disabilities under a law which provides MAiD on the basis of disability to people who are not otherwise dying.
Dr. Heidi Janz is presenting using text to speech.
"My hope is that you, as Canada's policymakers, will finally recognize that Canada's current MAiD regime is in fact eugenics disguised as autonomy and take bold and courageous action to stop the injustice."
"My hope is that you, as Canada's policymakers, will finally recognize that Canada's current MAiD regime is in fact eugenics disguised as autonomy and take bold and courageous action to stop the injustice."
Heidi is now reffering to the deaths of Chris Gladders, "Sophia," and Sathya Dhara Kovac.
"It is incumbent upon you as Canadian policymakers to take courageous action to correct the perversion of justice that is Canada's current regime."
"It is incumbent upon you as Canadian policymakers to take courageous action to correct the perversion of justice that is Canada's current regime."
Dr. Jessica Shaw has done research with prisoners. She quotes from an interview: "It's really sad to die in a cage."
Dr. Shaw says "It's not my place to speak on behalf of people with disabilities. And...it's not the place for the committee to speak on behalf of people with disabilities either."
Curiously, she then says people with disabilities shouldn't be denied MAiD as a "healthcare right."
Curiously, she then says people with disabilities shouldn't be denied MAiD as a "healthcare right."
To be clear, people with disabilities should have equal access to MAiD (under track 1), if they are terminally ill. Anything less would be discriminatory.
However, providing MAiD only to people with disabilities who are not dying (under track 2) is also discriminatory.
However, providing MAiD only to people with disabilities who are not dying (under track 2) is also discriminatory.
Okay, now we're hearing from Dr. Tim Stainton.
"I have a son with an intellectual disability. He cannot directly tell you the value of his life but he shows us every day in his accomplishments, laughter, and his smile and by those he touches..."
"I have a son with an intellectual disability. He cannot directly tell you the value of his life but he shows us every day in his accomplishments, laughter, and his smile and by those he touches..."
"I know that most people who see him in passing, assume his life is one of tragedy, suffering, and dependency...The Canada I want to believe we live in would value, support, and celebrate his life. Increasingly I fear it's becoming one that seeks only to end it." - Tim Stainton
In the Q+A Dr. Stainton says improvements to Canada's disability support system and ending institutionalization would be the "best case solution." "We've been saying we're doing that for 30 or 40 years now... Do we put people's lives at risk while we're waiting for nirvana?"
Heidi Janz and Tim Stainton agree that the reasonable foreseeable natural death is the only safeguard that can protect persons with disabilities from harm.
Oh boy. There's quite the debate going on about a statement Dr. Stainton made about MAiD being "the biggest existential threat to the disabled since the Nazi program."
Dr. Stainton clarifies "I was not comparing the processes or the motivations. I was comparing the the outcome, if you like, and the threat levels to people with disabilities. And I stand by that."
Parliamentarians are now arguing that Canadians have a constitutional right to death by MAiD.
Just a quick fact check : this is not true.
Just a quick fact check : this is not true.
Dr. Karen Ethans works with people with a spinal chord injury. Dr. Ethans says "we can't let our preconceived notions of what we think life with a disability would be like cloud our judgment or care decisions, as we have not lived that life."
"A person with new spinal cord injury will spend months in hospital and then the first few years adjusting to their new life. In these early months and years, suicidal thoughts and wishes to die are held by many. People can go through some very dark times." - Dr. Ethans
"However, most people that have had a chronic spinal cord injury for at least a few years rate their quality of life is very good, equivalent or better than many people that are able bodied." - Dr. Ethans
Dave Shannon says "MAiD should not be utilized to target a community, especially an equity seeking community. It would be unheard of, unthinkable, for any other group or population in Canada. It equally should be disregarded and called what it is, ableism."
And with a bit more discussion, the committee meeting wraps for the evening.
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