Nicole Scheidl, executive director of Canadian Physicians for Life, calls out the “deep bias” of the Alberta Medical Association’s survey on the provincial government’s changes to MAiD law in the province. 

The Alberta Medical Association (AMA) released a short survey to consult members on “MAID Policy Impact.” 

Unfortunately, this survey is deeply biased in favour of euthanasia. 

Despite Bill 18 being formally titled, “Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act”, every measure that the Alberta Government would designate a safeguard is described by the survey as an “unreasonable barrier.” 

The Government of Alberta says Bill 18 will: 

Enshrine in provincial law the rights of physicians and nurse practitioners to refuse access or provide MAiD.

Enshrine in provincial law the right of certain types of health care facilities to refuse MAiD assessments or provision on or around their premises, including through the use of defined exclusion zones.

The corresponding AMA survey question says: “Some publicly funded facilities do not facilitate MAID on site because of moral, ethical, spiritual, or religious beliefs (conscientious objection). Do you agree that publicly funded health care facilities should be allowed to refuse to facilitate MAID on site for this reason?”

How did that question ever pass a methodology test?

The survey presumes that euthanasia is a matter of “access” and “eligibility” rather than an act ending the lives of patients who fit the demographic criteria of the day. 

Framing euthanasia as a matter of “access” presupposes that causing death is a legitimate part of health care. By contrast, framing every new measure that could reasonably be considered a means of protecting patients as “restrictions” prejudices against the measures by casting them in a negative light.

Furthermore, the survey was sent with an incredibly tight deadline of midnight Wednesday, April 1.

Finally, the survey only allows for single bullet-point response selections without room to leave comments or provide narrative responses. 

Given feedback from the medical community on the survey already, AMA President Dr. Brian Wirzba has expressed his interest in receiving your written feedback by email.

CALL TO ACTION: Take a moment to write to Dr. Brian Wirzba about the survey bias and, more importantly, to indicate your reasons for supporting Bill 18. You can consult the Bill Fact Sheet here.

Please email Dr. Brian Wirzba at [email protected] and bcc [email protected]