Dying with Dignity is way too friendly with the Department of Health, including the many Ministers of Health. Bureaucrats bend over backwards to make sure that Ministers meet with Helen Long and her pro-death organization. It's really creepy if you ask me.
In this memo below, "there is no specific topic of discussion" for this meeting request from Dying with Dignity, yet the meeting will still go ahead. DWDC just asks for a meeting with the Minister and bingo, they get it. Just like that. Nothing specific to talk about. Why does this pro-death bunch get to have the ear of the Health Minister whenever they want to? Do those opposed to MAID also get a meeting with the Minister whenever they want to? I doubt it.
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REQUESTOR’S NAME - NOM DU DEMANDEUR Barb French [of the Ministerial briefing unit]
DATE 2023-09-25
NUMBER - NUMERO 23-109024-214
REQUEST ORIGIN - ORIGINE DE LA DEMANDE
Minister's Office/Cabinet du Ministre
SUBJECT - OBJET
Minister Saks' Office Request: PS Fisher to meet Dying with Dignity Canada
REQUEST - DEMANDE (YYYY-MM-DD)
(1)Date 2023-09-25
SPB:
Minister Saks has delegated an introductory meeting with Dying with Dignity Canada to Parliamentary Secretary Fisher the week of Sept 25th. Time and date are TBC and there is no specific topic of discussion. However, should it be helpful for context, a recent meeting request (23-007471-535) is attached. When assessing the meeting request for the Minister, SPB recommended that the meeting take place with the following rationale: DWDC is a key stakeholder that supports MAID and aims to provide clear and factual information to Canadians about MAID, the legislation, the process and providing supports and resources to people who wish to know more and who wish to access MAID.
DWDC is an advocacy group and does want to see a broader MAID and end of life regime in Canada that it believes aligns with the Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In meeting with this organization, the Minister could learn about relevant ‘on the ground’ views on system and clinician preparedness for the lifting of the mental illness exclusion clause on March 17, 2024. The organization is also focussing [sic] advocacy efforts calling for the Government [to] expand legislation again to allow for advance requests for MAID. Quebec recently passed amendments to its provincial MAID legislation to put in place an advance request regime for MAID in the next 2 years (which is not in alignment with current federal law). The Minister may wish to listen to their thoughts on this kind of further expansion
Please prepare a Memo to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions [Note: This position was abolished in March 2025. Thank you Mark Carney.] for a meeting, points to register and a bio (this may include updating a recent note). Also please identify an individual to participate in a pre-brief as well as the meeting.
Kindly submit the requested materials and confirmation of participant[s] to MBU by Sept 27, at 4:00. Templates attached. Should contacts for Input from other areas of the Health Portfolio be required, kindly let us know.
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Next we have the memo to Minister Saks about this upcoming meeting. It is a nine (9) page memo. Summary of memo below:
MEMORANDUM TO THE MINISTER OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS AND ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF HEALTH Meeting with Dying with Dignity Canada / Reunion avec Dying with Dignity Canada
SUMMARY
• Your office has accepted a request to meet with Dying with Dignity Canada (DWDC). Parliamentary Secretary Fisher will meet with Helen Long, Chief Executive Officer, DWDC during the week of September 25th.
• DWDC is a national human-rights charity committed to improving [the] quality of dying, protecting end-of-life rights, and helping people across Canada avoid unwanted suffering.
• Health Canada has had many interactions with DWDC over the past number of years. While they have been strong supporters of Government of Canada MAID policy, they have also been critical of the lack of progress in areas such advance requests.
• Points to Register are included in Appendix A and a biography of CEO Helen Long is included in Appendix B.
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You will be happy to know that DWDC's office is still located on Canada's Indigenous peoples' land. I guess that means they still haven't given said land back to the Indigenous people.
Dying With Dignity Canada's national office is located within Treaty 13, the traditional home of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Our presence on this land is not to be taken for granted. We are grateful for the opportunity to share, meet, collaborate, live, and work on this land.
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