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Widower urges Canada to allow assisted dying for severe mental illness
Diane McDowell, a 71-year-old Canadian who had lived with severe depression for decades, died by suicide on 25 October. Her husband, David Slater, says she had discussed Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), and argues that people with severe mental illness should be able to seek it; he believes it could have allowed them to discuss her death and preserve her dignity.
Mental illness is currently excluded from Canada’s MAID eligibility rules. The government had planned to allow applications on this basis, but introduced legislation in October to block the change. Justice Minister Sean Fraser cited concerns about whether doctors could determine that someone’s condition would not improve, while acknowledging the severe consequences of mental illness; McDowell had previously received hospital and outpatient care and considered travelling to Switzerland for an end-of-life programme.
In short
- Diane McDowell died by suicide after decades of severe depression.
- Her husband says she should have been eligible for MAID.
- Canada has introduced legislation to block MAID eligibility for mental illness.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Canadian widower whose depressed wife died by suicide calls on government to offer people like her euthanasia”.