Helen Long of Dying with Dignity is still cozying up to Ministers

Helen Long of Dying with Dignity writes to Ministers a lot. Here are some of her previous letters to Ministers. This one below is from 2023.

August 16, 2023

Hon. Ya'ara Saks

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

Room 1150 Valour Building

House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario KIA 0A6

Dear Minister Saks,

This is just a short note to congratulate you on your appointment as the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. This is an important role at a time (post-Pandemic) when mental distress and illnesses have widely been reported to be on the rise among segments of the general population across Canada.

I and my board colleagues have enjoyed a very constructive and pleasant working relationship with your predecessor in this role, Carolyn Bennett, and we are very eager to renew that relationship with you, Minister.

As you and your colleagues in the Health and Justice portfolios work through the outstanding human and Charter rights issues that remain to be addressed in the context of Canada's medical assistance in dying laws, we believe that there are further sensible, safe, and compassionate enhancements to our MAID rules that can and should be undertaken. These changes will both extend the legitimate and reasonable end-of-life rights of persons across Canada who suffer grievously, while at the same time, affording prudent protections to the most vulnerable among us.

I hope we might have an opportunity to meet in person in the near future to discuss these matters. In the meantime, Minister, I wish you all the best as you assume your new responsibilities.

Sincerely,

Helen Long

CEO

Excuse me while I do a little rant. The above information comes from my most recent ATIP to Health Canada. It took them 23 months to respond to me, therefore the information is very old. I have two other outstanding ATIPS to Health Canada. They are 198 days and 360 days old.

Government used to talk about the notion of open, transparent and accountable government, something we never hear about anymore. That's because they don't do it, never have and I guess they never will. I just found this gem on open government CANADA’S NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON OPEN GOVERNMENT 2022-24. 

The document is clearly old, it talks about covid (yawn), and there is nothing out there since then on the subject of open government. Are you listening Mark Carney?

The document includes a message from my MP Mona Fortier which is ironic as she is the master of non-open government--the very same MP who never answers my emails.

In any event, it would be wonderful if open, transparent, accountable government was actually a thing.

Okay I'm done.