Canadian actress Claire Brosseau Wants To Die! Why Has She Applied for Assisted Suicide?

Canadian actress Claire Brosseau has sparked an international debate after applying for a medically assisted death under her country’s Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) program. It allows those with lifelong struggles with severe mental health conditions to die. The 48-year-old comedian says she has been battling a range of issues like manic depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorder, chronic suicidal thoughts, and other psychiatric problems since childhood. In an interview with the New York Times, Brosseau said she tried all kinds of treatment—including psychiatric care and medications, which even involved therapies—but nothing worked. Brosseau had also mentioned on social media that she was "really struggling" and had attempted suicide many times.

Canada's assisted suicide laws

Canada expanded its assisted-dying law in 2021, which includes those with incurable conditions that do not make them terminally ill. At present, in tune with the laws, Brosseau does not have access to MAiD, and things possibly will not change for her till 2027. According to news reports, if a patient’s illnesses are solely mental health-related, they are not yet eligible for MAiD. The restriction was due to end in March 2023 but has been delayed twice, with the actress now unlikely to have access to MAiD until 2027. Brosseau has now filed a complaint with the Ontario Superior Court alleging genuine rights violations. “I had a great place to stay, and I was doing well on the film, and I was having fun on set, and every night I would go back to my hotel, and I would bawl and scream and rip my clothes apart. And cry and just—I wanted to kill myself, and I couldn’t wait to get out of there. And then the next day at work, I’d be fine, and I’d have so much fun,” she told the NY Times.

What is assisted suicide or assisted dying?

Assisted dying is a broad term in which healthcare professionals help in ending a patient's life at their request, usually to relieve suffering. It encompasses different practices, most notably physician-assisted suicide, where a doctor provides a patient with the means to end their own life, or voluntary active euthanasia, where a doctor or third party actively administers the lethal substance. Eligibility and processes are subject to strict criteria and legal safeguards in the jurisdictions where it is permitted. A ban on assisted dying in Germany was overturned by the country's federal court in 2020. Even though it is still not explicitly permitted, in many cases, judges understand the patient’s plea. In many countries, including the United States, a patient has the right to refuse treatment that is recommended by a health professional, as long as they have been properly informed and are “of sound mind.”

Is euthanasia widely accepted?

In many countries, assisted dying is legal, including Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Australia, Belgium, and Canada. The law here argues that patients have:

• Freedom of choice
• Right to quality of life
• Right to dignity
• Witnesses
• Resources
• Right to shorten the grief of loved ones