I agree in theory that terminally ill people should be allowed to end their lives with dignity, but seeing how it's being implemented in Canada has made me a staunch opponent of it under the current system. On top of MAID being open to those that are essentially just suffering from poverty, they're aiming to open it up to the mentally ill in 2024, and there are groups pushing for it to be open to "mature minors" as well. I don't think we should be focusing on expanding the MAID program until we're able to provide a decent life (food, housing, medical care, accommodations for disabilities, education, etc) to our neglected people before offering suicide.

I'm going to be a little Anecdote Andy here, but as someone who suffers from depression and has had suicidal thoughts in the past, the idea that I would qualify for euthanasia and that it would be an option terrifies me. In my darkest moments in the past I very well may have taken that option, at a time when I was not in my right mind and it would have been at the very least irresponsible to allow me to make a life-ending decision in that state of mind. This would be a huge barrier to having an open and honest discussion with my healthcare providers if I have it in the back of my mind that suicide through them is an option.