My name is Harry Ennis and for several decades I have lived with multiple disabilities both visible and invisible. I have a mobility disability that requires me to use crutches to walk and sometimes a wheelchair or scooter. I’ve also lived with Type 1 diabetes for decades and have a rare disease that has caused bone infections that are incurable, likely leading to a double amputation.   

Throughout my career I have worked with people with disabilities in the areas of employment and education as well as with all classes of disabilities. I understand and have seen the structural inequities faced by individuals with disabilities and firmly support all levels of government to put policies in place to address these challenges. However, inadequate social supports for people with disabilities is not a reason to repeal Track 2 MAID as recently recommended by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  

I have immense respect for the UN Committee, but I believe the recommendation is incorrect; it will cause more harm and allow for more inequity in end-of-life care for people with disabilities and prolong suffering. Revoking Track 2 MAID will not protect people with disabilities as it is being touted. 

In the report Ms. Peters noted that “many disabled Canadians are highly critical of the Federal Government’s decision not to appeal the landmark 2019 Quebec Superior court case that struck down the restriction limiting the procedure to the terminally ill.” This is problematic as “many” cannot be quantified, it is misleading and does not support the views of the majority of Canadians. According to an Ipsos poll conducted by Dying with Dignity Canada in June 2023, 78 percent of people across Canada support the removal of the “reasonably foreseeable natural death requirement” which includes 78 percent of people with disabilities.    

In recent years, I have become more involved in health equity work, of which, I view MAID as one of the end-of-life options that is not applied equitably for all Canadians. Equality rights are the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and repealing Track-2 will only lead to further inequities for people with disabilities. As it stands today, people whose sole diagnosis of a mental health disability are not eligible for MAID, which again, creates further inequities within the disability community. 

In the disability community we often use the saying “Nothing for us without us”.  Repealing Track 2 certainly is not for me, takes away my autonomy over my own end-of-life choices, and violates this principle. I view this as ableism which we as a community already face all too often. Historically, people with disabilities have, far too often, not had decision making capacity over many aspects of their lives and choices. This has to end recognizing that we are fully capable of making those decisions ourselves, whether it be MAID or other options. 

There appears to be agreement that governments need to do more to support people with disabilities especially in the areas of income support, accessible and appropriate housing, health care, etc. Repealing Track 2 MAID is not going to fix the issue of inadequate supports – and let’s be clear, you cannot be found eligible for MAID because of a lack of social supports – instead it would make MAID less accessible to people with disabilities, prolong suffering and decrease equity in end-of-life care. As an individual with disabilities, I want to have the same access to end-of-life care including MAID as my fellow Canadians, and when that happens, only then, we will achieve full equity.