Less than half of Canadians believe medical assistance in dying should be offered to people whose only medical problem is mental illness, suggests a new poll released Wednesday.
Currently, people who are “affected by serious and irremediable health problems causing them persistent and intolerable suffering” can request to end their life with the help of a health professional.
People suffering from chronic and incurable mental illness were supposed to be able to do so starting March 17, but Health Minister Mark Holland introduced a bill earlier this month that would delay their eligibility by three additional years.
While 77% of Canadians surveyed by the Léger polling firm support the current policy of medical assistance in dying in Canada, only 42% would agree with expanding eligibility to people suffering from mental health problems. incurable.
The rest of those questioned are divided between those who oppose this enlargement, at 28%, and those who say they do not know, at 30%.
Support for expansion appears strongest in Quebec, where 49% of respondents said patients with mental illnesses have the same right to medical assistance in dying as people with serious physical illnesses. It is Albertans who seem more fiercely opposed: 26% say they are totally opposed to this enlargement.
Last month, all provinces and territories asked the federal health minister to delay expanding the policy to mental health patients because they were not ready to offer it or they refused to move forward.
This pause would give provinces more time to prepare and Canadians time to have a “deeper conversation” about this program, Minister Holland said.
Asked about this three-year postponement, 47% of respondents to the Léger survey said that the government should take the necessary time to ensure that things are done well. Only 17% say they are categorically opposed to the proposed changes — and therefore are fine with any delay.
The remaining 37% said the government should not delay at all, since Canadians with incurable mental illness have the same right to medical assistance in dying as already eligible Canadians.
The bill aimed at delaying the expansion of medical assistance in dying, tabled on 1er February, is still before the House of Commons.
The Léger survey, carried out for The Canadian Press, questioned 1,579 Canadian adults last week on this controversial policy. Research and methodology experts believe it is impossible to assign a margin of error to an online survey, since the sampling method is non-probability.
Need help ? Do not hesitate to call the Quebec Suicide Prevention Line: 1866 APPELLE (1 866 277-3553).