David Slater, a Canadian widower, is advocating for the government to reconsider its Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) legislation to include individuals suffering from severe mental illness. His plea comes after his wife, 71-year-old Diane McDowell, died by suicide on October 25, following decades of battling depression. She was not eligible for MAID because mental illness is not currently an approved condition under Canadian law.
Slater recounted that shortly before her death, McDowell expressed a desire not to live in her current state, saying, "I don’t want to die, but I don’t want to live like this." He stated he would have supported her decision to end her life with dignity through MAID had it been an option. "The fact that I couldn’t sit and talk to her about that on her deathbed. You know? That’s wrong," Slater told The Canadian Press. He believes MAID would have allowed his wife to die with "the dignity with which she lived her life."
Canadian officials had previously considered expanding MAID to include individuals with severe mental health conditions, with legislation set to take effect. However, in October, the government introduced legislation to halt this expansion. Justice Minister Sean Fraser acknowledged that McDowell's obituary moved him and that he grapples with balancing various opinions in decisions that could preserve life while remaining considerate of those who see no other path forward. Fraser has also spoken with individuals who are alive today because MAID did not permit them to die, and medical professionals who find it challenging to definitively state that a patient's condition cannot improve with treatment.
McDowell had a history of seeking help for her mental health, including two hospitalizations and participation in an outpatient program. She had also explored the possibility of traveling to Switzerland for an end-of-life program. Slater eventually realized his wife's condition was terminal, noting, "There was no stone left unturned."
Robert Oliphant, a Member of Parliament who lives next door to Slater and attended McDowell's funeral, stated that her death has made an upcoming vote on another MAID expansion—which would allow dementia patients to consent before their disease progresses too far—personal. He suggested that such a loss might be necessary to spur action to prevent similar tragedies.
Canada's MAID program has faced scrutiny, with some families expressing concerns that it is too easy for loved ones to access. Doctors Gary Rodin and Madeline Li from the University of Toronto have voiced worries among healthcare professionals regarding the increasing number of euthanasia approvals. They argue in an opinion piece in The New York Times that while MAID is intended as a last resort for the terminally ill, an increasing number of patients are approved without sufficient reflection or exploration of alternative treatments, citing cases where loneliness or poverty were primary reasons. They noted that finding alternative help and counseling has saved lives in low points of mental health.
In 2023, over 200 people in Ontario chose to die within 24 hours of their MAID approval, with 30 percent opting for same-day procedures. Across Canada, 16,500 people participated in the MAID program in 2024. Daily Mail has reached out to Slater, Oliphant, and Fraser for comment.