Following the Supreme Court of Canada’s Carter decision in 2015, Canadians acquired a right to receive medical assistance in death (MAiD). Legislation came into force in June 2016 amending the Criminal Code to allow MAiD in limited circumstances. Since then, thousands have exercised this right – many in their own homes, others in hospitals, and still others in other kinds of institutions.

For some, though, where to receive medical assistance in death is a needless stress. Homeless patients who might otherwise be eligible cannot exercise this right because shelters do not allow it; many hospices have policies that prevent patients from having medically assisted deaths; some nursing homes and retirement homes – especially faith based ones – have said “no” to MAiD; and finally, some patents prefer not to die in their own homes because of the memories it may leave for their loved ones.

Assisted‑Dying Resources Centres Canada (ARCC), a registered charity, is a group of doctors, nurse practitioners, ethicists, advocates and volunteers who believe in choice, tranquility and dignity at the end of life for patients and their families. ARCC has launched a campaign to raise funds to open a safe, home-like setting where doctors and nurse practitioners can help desperately suffering patients end their lives humanely. They need $200,000 to open their doors to serve the GTA in 2019. ARCC hopes eventually to open locations across the country to supply information, resources and services for patients, their loved ones and clinicians.

As readers of the blog will know, MAiD is an issue near and dear to Iler Campbell partner, Celia Chandler, whose husband had a medically assisted death in late 2018. We were therefore pleased when ARCC came to us earlier this year to help them with some corporate work. We added them to the many registered charities on our client list engaged in a broad range of charitable activities and we’re ready to help ARCC with future legal issues as they arise.

Filed in: Charities, Client Profiles

Tags: medical assistance in death