DWDC is dismayed to see legislation introduced by the Alberta government that limits patient autonomy and compassion in end-of-life choice.

This is a direct attempt to circumvent the constitutional criminal law authority exclusively granted to the federal government. Medical assistance in dying (MAID) has been legal for almost ten years – the clinicians who do this work are well-educated professionals, and there is no evidence that MAID is being provided inappropriately in Canada.

The legislation introduces protections that already exist in federal legislation, including that an individual must have the capacity to make their own health care decisions and be 18 years of age or over. Likewise, clinicians are already protected from the need to participate in MAID if they have moral or religious objections.

What this legislation does is create additional barriers for individuals who are suffering and who wish to exercise choice.

Limiting the provision of information related to MAID by trusted health care professionals impacts an individual’s ability to provide informed consent. People must be made aware of all available options so they can make a decision that aligns with their values.

Track 2 MAID, for individuals whose deaths are not reasonably foreseeable, was enshrined in legislation as the result of the Quebec Superior decision in Truchon – in which Jean Truchon and Nicole Gladu, two people living with disabilities, challenged Quebec’s and Canada’s MAID legislation, as a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, discriminating on the basis of their diagnosis. Every person should have the opportunity, should they choose, to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Limiting the definition of reasonably foreseeable to 12 months prior to death means that some individuals living with dementia or other capacity-diminishing conditions may lose capacity prior to that and will no longer be able to access MAID.

This legislation is also directly at odds with what Canadians have said they support. In a January 2026 poll conducted by Environics Research for DWDC, 85% support existing legislation, including the decision in Carter v. Canada. 82% support Track 2 MAID, up from 78% in 2023. 82% of Canadians also support future changes to legislation, including for advance requests.

As reported in the media, although not officially released, the Alberta Government’s own consultation does not demonstrate strong support for additional safeguards or oversight.

It is important to note that safeguards should not create unnecessary delays or obstacles that prolong suffering for people who already meet the law’s stringent requirements. Canada already has a robust oversight system for MAID that includes strict federal reporting requirements, provincial policies, professional regulatory oversight, and multiple clinical assessments. Nurse practitioners and physicians are trusted members of our Canadian health care system and work within the checks and balances in place across the country.

DWDC is concerned about any legislation that discriminates based on diagnosis or risks creating new barriers to MAID, a federally legislated and carefully safeguarded end-of-life option. Safeguards are essential, but they should not come at the expense of access for eligible Canadians who are already navigating a rigorous, highly regulated process. 

Helen Long
CEO, Dying With Dignity Canada