The rise of euthanasia in Canada, under the guise of progress, exposes an alarming truth: the abandonment of the fundamental values that should guide any society.
Instead of investing in a health care system that cares for the most vulnerable, the country has opted for a quick and tragic solution: facilitating assisted dying as a response to the deficiencies of its health care system.
The case of Samia Saikali, a 67-year-old grandmother who chose euthanasia after a 10-week wait to be seen by an oncologist, calls into question the moral and ethical direction that Canada has decided to take.
Samia Saikali began experiencing health problems after a trip in December 2022. Finally, in March 2023, she was diagnosed with inoperable gastric cancer. According to her doctor, with chemotherapy she could have extended her life by at least a year, enough time to enjoy one last summer with her family.
However, the Canadian health system, renowned for its endless waiting times, failed miserably. Ten weeks after her diagnosis, Saikali finally got a consultation with an oncologist, but it was too late. Her health had deteriorated so much that treatment was no longer a viable option. Desperate and with no real alternatives, she opted for euthanasia.
This tragic outcome is not an isolated case. It represents the failure of a health system that prioritizes bureaucracy and inefficiency over human life.
According to the Fraser Institute, in 2022 Canadians waited an average of 25.6 weeks to access a specialist, the longest wait time ever recorded in the country.
Hellbound and Down 