Article By Frank Bergman
A renowned psychiatrist has dropped a bombshell, warning lawmakers that the Canadian government has already begun euthanizing patients with serious mental illness, while hiding the practice from the public.
Mentally ill patients are now being steered toward state-sanctioned “assisted suicide” by the nation’s taxpayer-funded socialized healthcare system, even though it remains illegal under current law.
Dr. John Maher, a psychiatrist from Barrie, Ontario, testified before Parliament that he has personally witnessed cases where vulnerable patients were given lethal injections by state-funded doctors.
Maher said those patients were approved for the government’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program under questionable, and potentially unlawful, circumstances.
Psychiatrist Exposes ‘Criminal Misconduct’ in Assisted Suicide Cases
During a Special Joint Committee hearing on MAiD, Conservative MP Andrew Lawton pressed Maher on reports that some practitioners are already treating mentally ill patients as eligible for euthanasia.
“You’re describing criminal misconduct, are you not?” Lawton asked.
“I absolutely am,” Maher replied.
Maher then detailed a disturbing case involving a patient suffering from schizophrenia.
“I had a patient with schizophrenia who was approved for MAiD on the basis of a skin condition that a dermatologist said could be treated with a cream and a sore ankle following not cooperating with physiotherapy after a broken ankle,” Maher said.
He revealed that he confronted the MAiD provider over the decision.
“My patient had schizophrenia and was psychotic and delusional at the time,” he added.
“That is what’s happening.”
WATCH:
Psychiatrist Dr. John Maher says he's seen patients with mental illness criminally offered MAID, even before the eligibility expansion goes into effect. pic.twitter.com/qYl0z5eNa2
— Andrew Lawton (@AndrewLawton) April 27, 2026
‘People Are Clearly Getting MAiD Illegally’
Maher warned lawmakers that such cases are not isolated incidents.
“People are clearly getting MAiD for reasons that are frankly illegal,” he told the committee.
He added that he and other medical professionals are seeing a growing pattern of vulnerable individuals being offered assisted suicide despite not meeting legal criteria.
The revelations raise serious concerns about oversight and enforcement as Canada moves closer to expanding euthanasia access.
Fears of ‘Suicide Contagion’ and System Abuse
Maher also cautioned that expanding MAiD to include mental illness could trigger what is known as the “Werther Effect,” where publicized suicides lead to copycat behavior.
He pointed to countries like Switzerland, where the legalization of euthanasia has been followed by a sharp rise in requests.
Maher warned that Canada risks creating a “suicide contagion” that could spiral out of control, with individuals potentially “doctor-shopping until dead.”
Expansion Push Sparks Fierce Debate
The Canadian government is currently weighing whether to expand assisted suicide eligibility to individuals suffering from mental illness.
The move is scheduled to take effect in 2027 under Bill C-7.
The Special Joint Parliamentary Committee reviewing the issue includes several lawmakers who support euthanasia expansion.
However, some members have pledged to oppose it.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Catholic bishops have voiced support for legislation aimed at halting the expansion.
The debate intensified further after another psychiatrist, Dr. Mona Gupta, told lawmakers that individuals with conditions such as eating disorders or depression should be eligible for assisted suicide.
Maher’s testimony is likely to fuel growing concerns that Canada’s euthanasia system is already pushing beyond legal boundaries.
The warning is raising alarms about where the policy could lead next.
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