The number of Canadians who ended their lives by euthanasia in 2020 surged by 17%.
Since Canada legalised euthanasia in 2016, the number of euthanasia deaths has risen exponentially, in line with other countries where it has been legalised.
According to the deputy minister of Health Canada, Abby Hoffman, 7,595 people had “medically assisted deaths” in 2020, representing 2.5% of all deaths in Canada that year.
This figure represents a significant increase from the 5,631 people who were euthanised in Canada in 2019.
The 2020 statistics also state that 9,300 people submitted euthanasia requests, of which 79% were approved.
This year it was also revealed that there were 2,378 reported assisted deaths in the Canadian province of Ontario in 2020, up by a third from 1,789 the year before, as reported by SPUC.
Lack of care
Previously, doctors in Canada have voiced their concern that limited palliative care is forcing patients to choose assisted suicide.
Last year, over 600 Canadian doctors signed an open letter against euthanasia, stating that “this is not the medicine that we have devoted our lives to practising…
“We watch in utter dismay and horror at how the nature of our medical profession has been so quickly destroyed by the creation of misguided laws.”
SPUC comment
SPUC Director of Communications, Michael Robinson, said: “Euthanasia is contrary to the ethos of medicine, which is to care, not kill. The UK must remain vigilant and oppose any attempt to introduce euthanasia.
“We must also ensure that treatment and adequate palliative care is provided for the ill, elderly and vulnerable. Assisted death is not the answer.
“As we have seen in other countries where euthanasia has been legalised, so-called ‘medically assisted death’ is increasingly turned to as a substitute for care, compassion and love.
“We cannot allow this to happen here.”
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