Forever now: Euthanasia in Canada is rapidly getting younger
A 26-year-old Canadian man died by euthanasia, although several doctors had previously refused to perform the procedure because the patient was "too young and healthy." In recent decades, more and more countries have been actively legalizing voluntary death, despite the fact that the ethics of this process have not been fully resolved. What happened to a young man from Canada, why the number of deaths from euthanasia is increasing every day and what consequences Western countries can expect — in the Izvestia article.
The sad story of Kiano
In Canada, the Medical Assistance at Death Program (MAiD) took the life of a 26-year-old man suffering from depression. This was announced by the victim's mother, Margaret Marcilla, by posting a tragic post on Facebook (owned by Meta, the organization is recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation).
According to the woman, her son Kiano was subjected to the procedure, despite the refusal of the previous doctor, who considered the man "too healthy." Attempts to gain access to euthanasia were based on the young man's diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, which subsequently worsened his eyesight. As a result, the procedure was performed on the basis of depression. Officially, euthanasia as the only indication for use in mental illness is prohibited in Canada until 2027.
"Four years ago, here in Ontario, we managed to prevent his euthanasia and provide him with assistance. He stayed alive because people intervened when he was vulnerable and unable to make a final, irreversible decision," the victim's mother wrote.
According to Magarret Marcilla, the procedure was performed with the approval of Vancouver-based physician Ellen Wiebe, who is known for providing abortion services and "active euthanasia." It is reported that the doctor was involved in ending the lives of more than 400 patients.
Kiano had already tried to end his life in the same way in 2022. The mother pleaded with the Canadian government and the clinic for real support, but the woman's appeal had no effect on the situation. "Nothing like that happened. Just submitting an application that lasted 90 days, followed by approval and provision of a home for euthanasia! There was no attempt to contact family members, no help in getting proper care or medication for this young man, just approval," she shared.
At the same time, Marcilla launched a public petition to block the procedure at the MAiD House center in Toronto. The document caused a public outcry, and the doctor, who had previously agreed to euthanasia, "refused to participate in the suicide plan" of the man.
Dr. Wiebe has previously been at the center of scandals related to her euthanasia activities. For example, in 2017, she entered an Orthodox Jewish nursing home without informing about her intentions, and carried out the procedure despite the objections of other guests of the institution, among whom were Holocaust survivors. The supervisory authorities did not find any violations in the doctor's actions.
Canadians are worried about the further development of the national policy on euthanasia. This is especially true for people with established mental disorders or those who are susceptible to them. In response to Marcilla's post about her son's death, another woman said that her family had left Canada after seeing the direction in which the euthanasia movement was developing.
A terrible ending and endless horror
Active euthanasia (a lethal dose of the drug is administered to the patient) is allowed in nine countries around the world: the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Colombia, Spain, New Zealand, some regions of Australia and several US states.
It was first legalized in the Netherlands in 2002, after 30 years of controversy and discussion. According to the laws of the country, the doctor does not have the right to offer this procedure as a solution to health problems. The patient is required to submit a "voluntary, unambiguous and informed statement" to the special commission twice. The consent of at least two independent doctors is also required. In April 2023, age restrictions on euthanasia were lifted in the Netherlands, and in the same year, more than 9,000 people took advantage of the right to voluntary death.
In 2016, former Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, supported a bill that proposed legalizing euthanasia for terminally ill and disabled people at their own request, but the "patient" must be of legal age and mentally healthy.
In November 2025, the Canadian Ministry of Health released its sixth annual MAiD report, based on data from doctors and nurses across the country. According to him, in total, medical institutions received more than 22 thousand requests for euthanasia, of which 16.5 thousand ended in death, just over 4 thousand — natural death before the procedure, 1327 — refusal due to non-compliance with the criteria and 692 — voluntary refusal. According to statistics, this number accounts for 5.1% of all deaths in the country, meaning that one in 20 people in Canada now dies from this procedure.
For the first time, the report separated the two tracks of euthanasia: those whose death is "reasonably predictable" (95.6%) and those whose death is not expected, but who have a "serious and incurable disease, disability or chronic pain" (4.4%).
Speaking about the causes of death, 97.5% of respondents belonging to the "second track" noted "loss of the ability to engage in meaningful activities" as a source of suffering. Almost half of all "patients" feel lonely and isolated, and about 60% of respondents constantly live in a state of stress and anxiety. These factors prompted them to think about voluntarily retiring from life.
The social factor, of course, becomes important when discussing the issue of euthanasia. Lonely and sick people tend to leave their lives so as not to burden themselves and others. However, Vladimir Vasiliev, chief researcher at the Institute of the USA and Canada, believes that there are other, equally important reasons why the trend for the procedure is becoming relevant.
— Canada is influenced by Europe when liberals come, and the United States when conservatives are in power. Now one can see the consequence of liberal tolerance — these are the very "values" that the state presents to its citizens. This includes allowing euthanasia, legalizing drugs, and so on. The second explanation I can give is related to economics. I believe that today euthanasia services are a very important part of the liberal medical and industrial complex, which generates a good income," the expert explained.
A dim future
Currently, active discussions on the legalization of euthanasia are also underway in the UK and France. At the same time, the mortality statistics from the procedure in countries where such a practice is allowed becomes frightening. For example, in 2024, the number of deaths from euthanasia in the Netherlands increased by 10% to almost 10,000, and although the vast majority of patients (86%) had progressive physical illnesses such as cancer, 219 people chose death for psychiatric reasons.
Ruslan Kalinchuk, an Orthodox catechist and publicist, shared with Izvestia the opinion that the process of legalizing euthanasia is a consequence of the active liberalization of society and the departure from traditional values.
— Liberalism does not imply the existence of unshakable rules of human life. One of them is the untouchability, the sacredness of life. Liberalism eradicates all values, including religious ones, because it proceeds from the concept of autonomous ethics, which is separate from God. According to this system of views, a person can build a life according to his own mind, relying solely on rationalism, but not on religion," the expert concluded.
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