Over one third of Canadians who were killed by assisted suicide in 2019 claimed that they feared being a burden on family, friends and caregivers if they continued to live. Michael Robinson, SPUC Director of Communications said: “These are devastating statistics which show that offering people the choice to end their lives creates unacceptable pressure for them to choose death. Our current law protects every citizen and we should work to enhance life for sick, disabled and elderly people, not pass a law which offers them death as a solution to their problems.”
The suicide statistics, First Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2019, was published by the Canadian government in July 2020.
According to the statistics, 5,631 Canadians were killed by assisted suicide in 2019, which is almost double the death toll compared to 2017.
The report details how 34% of those killed by Canada’s suicide programme claimed that they “feared being a burden on family friends or caregivers” if they continued to live.
Since assisted suicide was legalised in Canada in 2016, 13,946 Canadians have lost their lives.
Assisted suicide puts pressure on vulnerable people
Although distressing, the suicide statistics documented in the Canadian report are not uncommon.
In many of the world’s regions where assisted suicide is legal, many who ‘choose’ to die report that they want to avoid becoming a burden on family and carers.
In Washington State in 2018, 51% of people who were killed by assisted suicide said that being a burden on family, friends and caregivers was a reason to end their lives.
Similarly in Oregon in 2018, 54.2% of people killed by assisted suicide said that being a burden on family, friends and caregivers was a reason to end their lives.
SPUC’s Mr Robinson added: “Assisted suicide fails to protect the right to life of all citizens no matter how weak, vulnerable or disabled their lives may be. It is vital that we resist all attempts to embed the abhorrent practice of assisted suicide into our society.”
The resurgence of demands to legalise assisted suicide in the UK
Assisted suicide in the United Kingdom is currently illegal. However, in recent weeks, the UK has seen a resurgence of demands to change the law on assisted suicide.
Earlier this month, SPUC reported on Shropshire MP Daniel Kawczynski who said he would be lobbying the Government to legalise assisted suicide. During the same week, Derbyshire woman, Mrs Munns also confirmed she would be calling on MPs launch an inquiry in the law which prohibits assisted suicide. Mrs Munns wants assisted suicide to be legal after her mother faced a criminal trial for helping her husband to die.
You can find more information about SPUC’s campaign against assisted suicide here.