Canadian Ruling Favors Autistic Womans MAID Plea Against Fathers Wishes

An autistic woman’s right to choose MAID upheld by Canadian judge, despite father’s objections. Protecting a child’s autonomy means respecting their choices, even if it challenges parental instincts. Justice prevails in allowing M to make her own decision about her life and dignity. 🌟 #AutonomyMatters #RespectChoices

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From the day a child is born, most parents’ instinct is to protect. But what happens when a child wants to end her life? This is the issue being scrutinized in a Calgary courtroom. A publication ban protects the identities of the father and the daughter. We’re referring to the daughter as M and the father as W. Now, Em lives with her father and told him back in December that she had been approved for medical assistance in dying. Her date of death was February 1st, but the father was granted an interim injunction the day before her death was set to take place according to court documents. The father believes she’s not competent to make the decision and that she’s generally healthy. And believes that her physical symptoms, to the extent she has any, resulted from undiagnosed psychological conditions. The diagnoses described in court are autism and ADHD.

"I think it’s really important this case surfaces the need for everybody to understand that people with Autism can absolutely have decision-making capacity," – Dalhousie University Professor Joselyn Downey emphasizes.

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It’s really problematic that a lot of people are speculating and they’re suggesting this is inappropriate because her medical conditions are unknown. On Monday, Justice Colin Feasby ruled the choice to live or die with dignity is M’s alone to make and that M’s dignity and right to self-determination outweighs the important matters raised by W. Justice Febe said the pain of losing a child is not something that any parent should experience. But an injunction would put Em in a position where she would be forced to choose between living a life she has decided is intolerable and ending her life without medical assistance. People may naturally be torn when they first hear about the case, but there’s very clear law and good reasons for protecting the woman’s autonomy and feeling for the father but not allowing him to override his competent daughter’s wishes. The decision sets aside the interim injunction but it was stayed for 30 days to allow the father to appeal.

FAQs

1. Why does the judge’s ruling matter in this case?
   • The judge’s ruling allows the autistic woman to proceed with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) despite her father’s arguments.

By Greg.
Source: Global News