Share your story
A forced transfer – one of many Institutional Religious Obstructions – occurs when someone is forced to leave their community of care to have a MAID provision because the institution they are in refuses to allow MAID to be provided within their walls.
Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC) has joined forces with Arvay Finlay, Gaye O’Neill and Dr. Jyothi Jayaraman in a court challenge to ensure that the rights of vulnerable patients to access MAID are protected within all publicly-funded health care facilities in BC. A claim was filed on June 17, 2024 to end the practice of forced transfers at faith-based organizations – such as St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Read more about this court challenge.
In addition to forced transfers, other forms of Institutional Religious Obstructions (IROs) could include:
- Failure to provide information about the legal availability of MAID
- Delays in facilitating access to MAID
- An outright denial of access to MAID for patients who cannot be safely transferred
- Any other interference with a person’s legal entitlement to MAID
For the purposes of the lawsuit, the team is gathering information about people’s experiences with forced transfers.* If you, or someone you know has or is experiencing or has witnessed a forced transfer, and you would like support or to share your experience, please complete the form below or call us at 1-800-495-6156.