On March 18, the Alberta government tabled Bill 18, the ‘Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act,’ making it the first province to significantly restrict Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada. The legislation would limit eligibility to those who are terminally ill and pre-emptively prohibit advance requests for MAID, as well as access for both mature minors and those whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder. The Premier and Justice Minister have justified these measures as necessary for protecting vulnerable individuals, citing calls from disability advocates across Canada for stronger safeguards.
These developments come on the heels of changes to the province’s disability benefits framework introduced in Bill 12. Effective July 1, the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program will be replaced with the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP). Under the new system, many Albertans face significant benefit cuts, reduced income exemptions, removal of cost-of-living adjustments and limited appeal rights. This has raised significant concerns among disability groups about increased poverty and vulnerability despite government claims that these changes modernize support.
This panel will bring together policymakers, clinicians, ethicists and disability advocates to explore the implications of these various legislative changes for access to health care and disability supports in Alberta.
Contact:
Nicholas Dunn | nicholas.dunn@uleth.ca | (403) 332-4287
