Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #6 for Medical Assistance in Dying in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was research.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #6 for Medical Assistance in Dying in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was research.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Belanger, pardon my ignorance on the indigenous issue, but I'm curious by nature and want to understand and learn.
When you speak, you represent your group, but I'd like to know where the demand you expressed—to exclude indigenous communities from medical assistance in dying—comes from. Is that a motion or a decision by all first nations and Inuit communities? Is that a demand that's currently being pushed on the government, or is it more your opinion as a representative of the group you're here on behalf of today?
As a member of Parliament, my grand chief has never approached me or contacted me to discuss this desire to exclude his community.
Are all nations, including the Inuit, making this request?
Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Disability Canada
I don't speak for all first nations. I don't speak for any first nation. I don't speak for any of the 53 Inuit communities. I speak for our organization and our experience with the people we serve, who are indigenous people with disabilities. Our perspective is, of course—
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC
Forgive me for interrupting you, but it's important for me to understand whether it's your opinion and that of your organization or a request from first nations and Inuit that you're relaying to our committee. Thank you for your answer.
Professor McCormick, I wanted to know whether there are people in indigenous communities asking for medical assistance in dying, which is currently legal, but Mr. Belanger didn't have any data to share with me. Do you have any figures? Is there a trend? Are indigenous people using this care, which is available and legal?
Professor, Thompson Rivers University, As an Individual
No, I don't have it. I'm not sure if that data is available. It should be, but I don't have it.
Liberal
The Joint Chair Liberal Marcus Powlowski
Thank you very much, Mrs. DeBellefeuille.
We now have Senator Moodie for two minutes.
Senator, Ontario, ISG
I want to ask Professor McCormick this. Do you have any data whatsoever that sheds light for us on what is happening with the use of MAID in your communities more broadly?
Professor, Thompson Rivers University, As an Individual
No, I haven't researched it. I've read the report that was done, the consultation. That's the data I have. Again, it was one city per province that was surveyed.
Senator, Ontario, ISG
You're not uniquely in a position where you can judge the validity or have a comparative basis for this particular type of data. You've read it as I have or anybody else has. Would that be true?
Professor, Thompson Rivers University, As an Individual
That's correct.
Senator, Ontario, ISG
Is it reasonable to say that you bring a certain expertise today to this committee, but it does not relate directly to MAID or to the use of MAID in communities?
Professor, Thompson Rivers University, As an Individual
I bring 40 years as a clinician working with indigenous people who are experiencing mental illness. That's what I'm bringing to this committee.
Senator, Ontario, ISG
You don't have a direct connection with mental illness to MAID, though, because you aren't able to give us the information of what that connection might be.
Senator, Ontario, ISG
Maybe I'm not clear in how I'm asking for it. Do you have a connection?
Professor, Thompson Rivers University, As an Individual
No, I don't have that data. I don't even know if it's available.
Liberal
Senator, Alberta, PSG
Mr. Belanger, the Health Canada report published in December 2025, entitled “Indigenous perspectives on end-of-life care, including medical assistance in dying: What we heard”, reported hearing the following from elders of first nations, Inuit and Métis people:
We need to reclaim our death and end-of-life processes.
When our loved ones die, we should have the right to bring them home.
I fear losing the ability to decide for myself.
It is concerning that there is a lot of misinformation about MAID.
Mr. Belanger, I agree that colonialism in Canada's systemic exclusion of indigenous people has led to unacceptable rates of suicide in indigenous communities. If this is what we're hearing, what I quoted to you from the Government of Canada from indigenous people themselves, how should we then balance these points of view with the removal of MAID track 2 that you suggested here today?
Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Disability Canada
Well, I'd like to know, is it from the 200 people who responded to the survey?
Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Disability Canada
It could be 200 people out of a population of 1.8 million.
Again, as we've heard, I'm not denying that there may be people in the community who are supportive of track 2 MAID or MAID, but if you'll remember from the previous committees, the majority of the indigenous witnesses, the leadership and persons with disabilities all spoke against it. I can't comment on a survey of 200 people out of a population of 1.8 million to say this is some kind of tangible document that we have to reinforce.
Senator, Alberta, PSG
You don't think the document produced by Health Canada is credible?