I hope that philosophers will begin to support Canadian disabled people in their political struggle against Bill C-7, proposed legislation that targets them. The grievous injustice that Bill C-7 embodies should be of particular concern to Canadian philosophers given that a number of their colleagues have initiated it, developed it, and lobbied for it. Where to start? Email/phone Members of Parliament and urge them to vote in opposition to Bill C-7 in the House of Commons. Then, educate yourself more generally about the ableism embedded in legislation, policy, bioethics, and philosophical discourse.

________________________________________________

Dear Members of Parliament,

We, the undersigned member organizations and allies of the disability rights community, ask the Government of Canada to stop and rethink the radical and highly divisive changes proposed for Canada’s medical assistance in dying regime in Bill C-7. Bill C-7 sets apart people with disabilities and disabling conditions as the only Canadians to be offered assistance in dying when they are not actually nearing death. This core feature of the Bill is not widely understood, even among Canadian parliamentarians, with the result that many may find themselves supporting a Bill without grappling with its implications.

As it stands, Bill C-7 is dangerous and discriminatory. Three United Nations experts have warned that Bill C-7 will violate international human rights conventions to which Canada is a signatory. Canadian legal experts warn that Bill C-7 will violate the Charter rights of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities, including in particular those who are marginalized, Black, Indigenous, racialized and poor, have warned that Bill C-7 will undermine their dignity and put their very lives at risk.

Canadians with disabilities are hearing MPs and Senators arguing that lives just like theirs featuring disabilities just like theirs are not livable. This is harmful and hurtful and stigmatizing. Parliamentarians have a responsibility to think through the unintended but entirely foreseeable consequences of new legislation, recognizing that people with disabilities face overwhelming barriers to disability support services, mental health care, housing, income security and other means and measures essential to a dignified life. The reality is that for many people with disabilities, dehumanizing long term care homes are the only option. And now MAiD?

It is time for our lawmakers to grapple honestly with ableism and refrain from empty gestures of concern when Canadians with disabilities speak up in desperation. It is long past time for a courageous and comprehensive response to the many ways in which people with disabling conditions are made to suffer unbearable lives. Expanding the availability of medically assisted death for this social group, and only this social group, is not a good faith response to the Québec Superior Court’s decision in Truchon. To quote minister Lametti, letting the Truchon deadline lapse may temporarily permit some uncertainty in how the Criminal Code is applied in Québec with respect to medical assistance in dying. While this is, as he acknowledged, “a matter of general concern”, it is a matter of far greater concern to pass into law an amendment that authorizes physicians to end the lives of patients who have been denied every opportunity to live decent and dignified lives.

Take your time, start over, and get this right. As you do so, be careful to heed the advice of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: “Listen closely to the most directly affected. Their antenna is highly attuned to ableism. When they see it, you should pause and reflect before proceeding”.

Bill C-7 is not the answer.

Signed by representatives of,

1. Inclusion Canada
2. Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
3. Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship
4. Communication Disabilities Access Canada
5. The Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society (IRIS)
6. L’Arche Canada
7. B.C. Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS)
8. ARCH Disability Law Centre
9. Council of Canadians with Disabilities
10. Toujours Vivant-Not Dead Yet
11. People First of Canada
12. The DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada / Réseau d’Action des Femmes
    Handicapées du Canada (DAWN-RAFH Canada)
13. Independent Living Canada – Vie autonome Canada
14. Muscular Dystrophy Canada
15. CNIB
16. Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW)
17. Black Health Alliance
18. Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
19. National Association of Women and the Law/Association nationale Femmes et Droit
20. Accessibility for All
21. Vivre dans la Dignité / Living with Dignity
22. Spinal Cord Injury Canada
23. Refuge Newcomer Health
24. The Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia
25. Canadian Physicians for Life
26. Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
27. The Disability Justice Network of Ontario
28. Reproductive Justice New Brunswick
29. Inclusion BC
30. Société québécoise de la déficience intellectuelle
31. Plan Institute
32. Tangled Art + Disability
33. Delta Hospice Society
34. The Disability Rights Coalition of Nova Scotia
35. Black Lives Matter Toronto (BLMTO)
36. SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) Toronto
37. Independent Living Nova Scotia
38. Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion
39. Choose Life Niagara
40. Inclusion Lloydminster
41. Inclusion Foothills Association
42. Resources Supporting Family and Community Legacies Inc
43. Families for a Secure Future
44. Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network
45. BeConnected Support Services
46. Family Support Institute of BC
47. Chilliwack Society for Community Living
48. The HOME Society
49. Community Homes Action Group, Nova Scotia
50. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Ottawa-Cornwall
51. Inclusion Amherst
52. Le Mouvement Citoyen Handicap-Québec
53. GTA Disability Coalition
54. BCEdAccess Society
55. Life Changes Coaching
56. Ocean Ridge Support Services
57. Gateway Healthcare
58. Inclusion Powell River
59. POOF Protecting ODSP OW Funding
60. Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University
61. Broadreach Training and Resources
62. Hamilton Catholic Doctors Organization
63. Toronto Board of Rabbis
64. Kamloops Pro-life Society
65. PEI Association for Community Living
66. Collingwood medical clinic, Vancouver BC
67. Straits Association for Community Living
68. National Association of Catholic Nurses – Canada
69. Pei League for Equal Opportunities
70. Inclusion Selkirk
71. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
72. Concerned Ontario Doctors
73. People First Nova Scotia
74. Canadian Centre for Christian Charities
75. Empower, The Disability Resource Centre
76. MSU Student Health Education Centre (SHEC)
77. Black Medical Student Association
78. Hamilton Community Legal Clinic
79. No Pride in Policing Coalition
80. DMI Ministries
81. Pluralie
82. Schizophrenia Society of Newfoundland & Labrador
83. Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living
84. Independent Living Centre London and Area
85. Bathesda Christian Association
86. Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion
87. Christian Legal Fellowship / Alliance des chrétiens en droit
88. Inclusion Saskatchewan
89. ARPA Canada
90. The Poverty and Human Rights Centre
91. Spring Socialist Network
92. Fédération des femmes du Québec
93. Hand Over Hand
94. Community Living Welland Pelham
95. The New Brunswick Association for Community Living
96. Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary
97. Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy
98. Muslim Medical Association of Ottawa
99. ODSP Action Coalition
100. Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies
101. Self Advocates of Semiahmoo
102. The Richmond Centre for Disability
103. the Legion of Mary Curia in Calgary
104. Inclusion Calgary
105. God Squad Canada
106. Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter
107. St. Catherine of Siena Chapter of the Lay Dominicans of the Canadian Province
108. Family Alliance Ontario
109. Limestone Family Support Group Inc.,
110. Ontario Disability Coalition
111. Lifetime Circles
112. Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society’s
113. Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians
114. The Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta
115. Inclusion Winnipeg
116. The Catholic Women’s League of Canada and local chapters1
117. Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society
118. The Cooperators of the Heralds of the Gospel – Calgary
119. Physicians Together with Vulnerable Canadians
120. Platform
121. Inclusion Alberta
122. Assembly of Women Religious of the Diocese of Calgary
123. Inclusion Edmonton Region
124. Spectrum Society for Community Living
125. Inclusion Nova Scotia
126. Community Living Ontario
127. l’Institut National pour l’Équité, l’Égalité et l’Inclusion des personnes en situation
     de handicap (INÉÉI-PSH)
128. Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
129. L’Arche Halifax