Meaghan Walker-Williams: MAID is a threat to vulnerable Indigenous youth – National Post
Sep 27, 2023
Assisted suicide must not be promoted as an option for those most at risk
In 1975, my biological Indigenous mother’s life came to a tragic end in a reported suicide. As a Sixties Scoop survivor, my lifelong personal journey back to my community of Cowichan has also been marked by the painful consequences of policies that didn’t respect or understand Indigenous cultures. Another policy, blind to my culture, may soon join them: assisted suicide for mental illness.
Today, suicide is a silent crisis unfolding within Indigenous communities, striking at the very heart of our future: our youth. According to Statistics Canada, the suicide rate for First Nations individuals is about three times the national average. The numbers for youth are even more heart-wrenching. First Nations individuals between ages 15 and 24 are six times more likely to die by suicide than those who are not Indigenous.
