Unfortunately, many palliative care physicians who make any kind of seemingly negative comments towards MAID are quickly looked at as being overly religious or having other reasons for being concerned. I want to make it clear that I actually refer patients to colleagues of mine who provide MAID. I'm not against it from that perspective, but I do see a lot of concerns, as do some of the colleagues I work with who actually provide the service. I think it's really important that we look at these.
My theme tonight is that it's time for a reality check.
First of all, to me, health care in Canada is in the most fragile state we've ever experienced due to the lack of planning for the exponentially aging demographics we are currently living with. Not only are many Canadians reaching the age at which most need more health care, especially in hospital, but the health care workforce is also among this aging demographic. As we're seeing with that, new health care professionals no longer have the comfort of having seasoned colleagues to mentor them as they start their careers.
Many are feeling moral distress and feeling overwhelmed, and they are subsequently leaving health care in general. I'm sure you have all heard of that. The numbers are quite staggering, even among young health professionals, who are getting out of health care altogether, which is a terrible shame. It's putting this country in such a delicate, desperate situation.
Subsequently, this is leaving our patients with less-experienced providers, who are having to take on workloads they aren't used to without having had the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to meet the needs. This creates difficulties for all patients but especially for those who are dying or those in vulnerable positions, as we've talked about, given our poverty issues and the many other issues we face in our country.
I'm very concerned that this has opened the door for medically assisted death to be, potentially, a path of least resistance. As we see people getting more and more overworked, tired and exhausted, unfortunately this could become an easier pathway. Things tend to take the path of least resistance. I'm also concerned that the government has given health care professionals essentially a licence to kill without having significant checks in place to ensure that people are assessed properly and thoroughly. That comment was made up just minutes ago.
Canadians agreed that people living with a terminal illness with foreseeable death should be given an opportunity to seek voluntary euthanasia, and the laws were amended. Many people spoke up at that time about the worry of the slippery slope and they were quickly dismissed. Here we are a very short time later with MAID being available to virtually any person for any reason, and I ask, is that what the Canadian public actually wants?
If the majority of society feels that autonomy trumps all, as seems to be becoming the way, and that every person can end their life at their choosing, then so be it. However, we are still responsible for protecting the vulnerable and ensuring that people have a choice that includes access to palliative care, mental health and social supports, pain specialists and a health care system that allows for dignity for all, not just those who want to end their life.
I want to make reference to testimony that has come previously, again, from colleagues such as Dr. Leonie Herx and the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians, who have outlined some of their concerns and ideas for how to remediate some of them. I know you've heard from—