Claire Brosseau seeks emergency MAID access in Ontario court
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · May 5
Claire Brosseau seeks emergency MAID access in Ontario court
8 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · May 5
The 49-year-old Toronto woman with Bipolar 1 asked Ontario Superior Court on Monday to let her access assisted death immediately, saying 35 years of treatment have left her functionally unable to live normally.
Dying With Dignity Canada said two clinicians have already found her eligible, while Ottawa's attorney general is expected to file the federal government's position in court.
Her motion comes as parliamentarians finish hearings on extending MAID to mental illness alone, currently scheduled for March 2027 after two delays amid pressure from disability, religious and UN rights groups.
Is Canada offering assisted death as a substitute for adequate mental healthcare and social support?
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Claire Brosseau, who has suffered from severe, treatment-resistant mental illness for decades, filed an emergency motion in May 2026 seeking immediate access to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), challenging the legal exclusion of mental illness as a sole condition for MAID eligibility. This exclusion, established by legislation in 2021 and extended to 2027 due to government concerns about assessing irremediability and protecting vulnerable individuals, has created a legislative deadlock. Supported by Dying With Dignity Canada, Brosseau's case highlights the ongoing tension between individual rights and systemic caution, as parliamentary committees, opposition bills, and international bodies contribute to the stalled expansion of MAID access for mental illness.