In 2023, one in 20 people in Canada died using voluntary euthanasia — 15 300 such deaths (4.7%) out of more than 320 000 deaths that year in the country.
This was reported by the BBC with reference to data from the Canadian government.
The average age of these people reached more than 77 years. Most of them, about 96%, decided to euthanize because of serious diseases, including cancer. In a small number of other cases, patients were terminally ill and decided on euthanasia due to a long and complex illness that significantly affected their quality of life.
Euthanasia was allowed in Canada in 2016. This yearʼs report is the fifth since then, and for the first time, it provides a racial and ethnic breakdown of those who died by euthanasia.
About 96% of people who attempted euthanasia identified themselves as white people, who make up about 70% of the Canadian population. The second largest ethnic group was East Asians (1.8%), who make up about 5.7% of Canadians.
Currently, in Canada, the most cases of death by euthanasia are recorded in Quebec — almost 37% of all, despite the fact that only 22% of the countryʼs population lives here.
What preceded
In Canada, consenting adults can request a euthanasia procedure from a health care provider if they have a serious and terminal illness.
For this, two independent doctors must confirm that the patient meets certain requirements.
In 2021, Canada expanded the authorization of euthanasia for people who may not have a terminal diagnosis but want to end their life because of a chronic, debilitating condition.
Earlier this year, there were plans to expand access to people with mental illness again. But that decision has been delayed after Canadian provinces that oversee the delivery of health care expressed concern about whether the system could handle such an expansion.
On Wednesday, Dec. 12, Health Canada defended the procedure, saying the criminal code sets "strict eligibility criteria".
A report released in October by the province of Ontario — Canadaʼs most populous — shed light on controversial cases where people were assisted with euthanasia without serious medical conditions.
For example, there was a 50-year-old woman with depression and suicidal thoughts who had a strong sensitivity to chemicals. Her request for euthanasia was granted after she was unable to pay for housing that could meet her medical needs.
Similar cases are known in other regions of the country.
Canadian media also reported cases of people with disabilities thinking about death because they did not have housing or disability benefits.
- Canada is one of the few countries to have introduced euthanasia in the last decade. Today, euthanasia in one form or another is legalized in Belgium, the Netherlands, Colombia, Canada, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Austria. In Switzerland and some US states, such procedures are allowed, but not legalized.
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