Recent False Claims About MAiD
This section tracks recent claims about MAiD as they appear in media, politics, and online discussions. Entries are updated frequently to reflect how misinformation is evolving, with brief explanations to help clarify what’s accurate, what’s misleading, and what’s missing from the claim. We have begun adding international examples in addition to recent misinformation here in Canada, as the tactics are similar regardless of location, and often find their way into discussions about MAiD regardless of their original origin.
False Claim: Suicide Rates Are Rising in Canada
After parliamentary testimony about MAiD and mental illness, Alex Schadenberg claimed rising suicide numbers in Canada as a rebuttal. But official Canadian data tells a different story: suicide rates per 100,000 population have remained relatively stable, revealing how selective statistics can distort the debate.
False Claim: Health Care Providers Will Be Forced to Provide MAiD
Conscientious objection in MAiD remains fully protected—no clinician is forced to participate. The real issue is whether patients can access care when institutions refuse to allow it.
False Claim: MAiD Causes Patients to “Drown” After Being Given a Paralytic First
In a recent Facebook Reel, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition claimed that MAiD patients are paralyzed and then “drown” or suffocate. This is false—and has already been refuted by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition’s own co-founder—a medical doctor.
False Claim: You Can Access MAiD for Mental Illness Without Treatment
MP Tamara Jansen claimed that a person could qualify for MAiD during their first psychiatric visit, even without prior mental health care. That claim is false and misrepresents the law.
False Claim: Canada Is Considering Euthanasia for Disabled or “Unwanted” Infants
Opponents are distorting a much narrower discussion about infants with conditions incompatible with life. This is not about MAiD—and it is not about disabled or “unwanted” babies.