On May 27, 2025, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosted a public panel to for the launch of Unravelling MAiD in Canada: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide as Medical Care, a new book that examines the evolution of MAiD policy in Canada and its troubling implications.
The panel featured co-editors Dr. Ramona Coelho, Dr. Trudo Lemmens, and Dr. K. Sonu Gaind to talk about the normalization of euthanasia, the weakening of safeguards, and the growing risks to vulnerable Canadians in a discussion moderated by Deputy Domestic Policy Director Peter Copeland.
Panelists raised serious concerns about Canada’s permissive approach to assisted death, highlighting the risk of MAiD being seen as a substitute for proper care, and the need for Parliament to revisit and strengthen safeguards to prevent coercion and ensure true consent.
Panelists also discussed worrying trends like a “gender gap” which reveals how the choice for medically assisted death disproportionally affects women, and also is coming to be seen as a substitute for palliative care.
A robust Q&A session followed, with audience members engaging panelists on the legal and moral positions behind MAiD, and the importance of balancing dignity against suffering.
You can purchase a copy of Unravelling MAiD in Canada: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide as Medical Care here.
