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Top Psychiatrist Alleges Canada’s MAiD Program is Already Euthanizing Mentally Ill Patients IllegallyIn detailed testimony before Parliament’s Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying (AMAD) on April 21, 2026, Dr. John Maher—a psychiatrist specializing in severe mental illness, president of the Ontario Association for ACT & FACT, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Ethics in Mental Health—painted a troubling picture of how the system is operating in practice.Dr. Maher told the committee he and his colleagues are witnessing patients with mental illness being approved for MAiD on grounds that appear to fall outside current legal requirements—well ahead of the planned 2027 expansion that would explicitly allow mental illness as the sole qualifying condition.He described a specific case involving a patient with schizophrenia who was psychotic and delusional at the time of approval. The justification cited for MAiD included a treatable skin condition (deemed manageable with cream by a dermatologist) and a sore ankle stemming from the patient’s refusal to cooperate with physiotherapy after a broken ankle. Dr. Maher said he directly confronted the MAiD provider about the decision.When Conservative MP Andrew Lawton asked whether this amounted to criminal misconduct, Dr. Maher replied: “I absolutely am. That is what’s happening.” He added that “people are clearly getting MAiD for reasons that are frankly illegal.”Dr. Maher went further, warning the committee that MAiD is already being offered to veterans, disabled individuals, and people with very treatable conditions. He described patients refusing effective treatment in order to strengthen their eligibility for assisted death, and noted a profound shift in how mental health struggles are being addressed—with death sometimes presented as an option instead of recovery.He highlighted the risk of a “suicide contagion” effect, a well-documented phenomenon where public discussion and normalization of suicide can lead to increases in such acts. Maher shared that earlier on the day of his testimony, he had seen a schizophrenia patient casually state that if he didn’t get a job and a girlfriend, he would request MAiD. He also expressed frustration that attempts to report concerns to a provincial regulatory college were met with the response that action could only be considered “until the patient is dead.”These revelations come amid ongoing parliamentary review of whether Canada is ready to expand MAiD to mental disorders. Dr. Maher’s testimony underscores deep concerns about oversight, informed consent for those whose judgment may be impaired, and the potential for vulnerable people to “doctor-shop until dead” rather than receive comprehensive care.The comments have sparked renewed debate about safeguards, the role of mental health treatment, and the broader direction of assisted dying policy in Canada.