How poverty, not pain, is driving some disabled Canadians towards medically assisted death



It’s estimated more than four in 10 Canadians living in poverty are people with disabilities and provincial support rates are so low advocates call it “legislated poverty.”

Then, last year, the federal government expanded eligibility for medically assisted dying to people who were not terminally ill, something critics warned could result in unnecessary deaths.

As Marianne Dimain reports for The New Reality, many disabled Canadians who now qualify for that program say it’s the only way they can see an escape from the cycle of pain and poverty.

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25 thoughts on “How poverty, not pain, is driving some disabled Canadians towards medically assisted death”

  1. I have a rare disease and I live in Alberta. The government’s official stance has been that they don’t treat my disease here. I’ve had 6 referrals refused in just the last 2 years. I have EDS/POTS/MCAD. I have to apply and pay for 3 months of non opioid pain relievers to have them covered. However, opioid pain relievers are completely covered….often at way higher doses than I need with no waiting period. None of my non pharmaceutical treatments for pain are covered (Physio, Chiro, massage, ect). I qualify for medically assisted death and know others in my community that have taken that road. We qualify for medically assisted death (it’s free). We do not qualify for medically assisted life.

    Reply
  2. Sell cocaine and heroin…. The BC Liberals are giving it away for free. If they bust you they'll have to spend $100,000 or more a year to put you in jail. Then they might fix the problem.

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  3. Canada is broken.
    If you do not own a home you are not getting ahead.
    The average canadian is struggling
    For Goodness sakes Hamilton is more expensive then LA, Hamilton!.
    It pains my heart to know the Canada we ALL grew up in is GONE.
    I'm Making my expat plans
    And I advise you all to do the same

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  4. in any way this isnot just oversimplify version of explaining this indigantion…(Tnank You for report.)…but ..abilty of disabled people that much that remine or still could grow is the cause of competative mentalism…and that mainly because ..capitalism is operating on prodiginess achievements with patents and ..science..so any prodiginiess is always guestion in multiplay potentials ..it is orgy of fobia from inteligence..and also big part stigma due to eugenics phylosphy ..that those with menatl conditions will procriate out of the control………..it's not that hey don't care for disabled ..they care very much in terms of prodiginess but on the competative mode ..they care that little because they care from competative mode….and disabled people are very hard to be really organised because they have lot's of barriers due to the adjustements..just to live through the day….with relative functionality….stay resiliant..I will try to take some time to read all these feedbacks later..thanks by..

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  5. PLS READ IF YOU AR ON DISABILITY. IM IN OTTAWA. BY VISITING A SOCIAL WORKER WHICH IM ALLOWED 8 FREE VISITS, THEY CAN SET YOU UP WITH HELP FOR YOUR ENERGY COSTS, BUT ONLY IF YOU QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY. I WAS PAYING UP TO 75 PER MONTH, BUT NOW IMIN THE NEGATIVE. I WISH I COULD TELL THAT LADY IN THE WHEELCHAIR. THERE ARE PROGRAMS OUT THERE BUT YOU MUST SEARCH

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  6. It's odd when overweight people claim poverty. I'm not poor but I only eat one or two meals a day to both save money and to stay slim.

    Once you're over 35ish your metabolism slows down so much, you don't need much food. That's why you see so many overweight middle-aged people.

    The people in this video could save all the money they spend on two of their meals each and every day. That's a lot of money.

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  7. im a single parent and am disabled I have disabled children. my now 20 year old son with autism as living on his own and it kills me because he deserves so much better. my other son is 16 soon and is autistic with other issues trying to figure out who he is and my daughter.. my sweet baby is a pre teen. we are struggling so bad. and we matter. its time the Government sees that. meds are unaffordable. cancer treatment isnt there we get to just die undiagnosed. london Ontario is hell on earth. odsp is a joke.. I cant even afford shoe's for winter…

    Reply
  8. I live in Regina, SK and we have 3 mri machines for 300k population + Regina area population. People are put on a 1year wait list to do an mri, when cancer takes months to worsen. And Moe promises people $500 each. Take all this money and buy more mri machines!!!

    Reply

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