How a set of laws blurs the line between being alive and dead.

In the sleepy province of New Brunswick, laws are quietly passed, and largely ignored, that allow organ harvesting from people who are still alive and not 'brain dead'.

We are told that MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) is a choice in Canada. That consent from the patient is needed. But what if I told you that they are blurring the lines between life and death, between giving consent and being killed against your wish? And what if New Brunswick is at the forefront of testing compliance in the population.

Let’s start at organ donation. Organ donation may seem the ultimate selfless act that anyone can do at the end of their own life, to save another life. Sounds good right? Except, most organs and tissue can not be harvested from a dead body because those organs are not viable for transplantation. Hence the need for the term “brain dead”

“… the diagnosis of “brain death” is driven by whether there is a transplantation programme or whether there are transplantation surgeons.”

Many patients still have brain activity and some have even woken up while on the operating table to have their organs harvested. “Some were gasping, crying or showing other signs of life.”

In Canada there is a long waitlist for organs, sometimes longer than 4 years. That’s why New Brunswick adopted in 2023, ‘Avery’s law’ which automatically makes every New Brunswicker an organ donor, unless they opt-out and this is officially entered in the provincial register. So, while organ harvesting from a patient who is considered ‘brain dead’ is controversial enough, with patients waking up during organ harvesting, New Brunswick skips this requirement and relies entirely on the opinion of the doctor and the approval of the Chief Coroner.

In a nutshell: In New Brunswick you do not need to be dead, or brain dead, to be carved up.

The line between life and death has blurred and now only depends on the opinion of the doctor and a signature of the Chief Coroner. The Chief Coroner typically never sees the patient, while the acting physician will hide behind the decision of the Chief Coroner. Do you see how both people can simply place the responsibility in each others hands, while washing their own hands in innocence?

I’m sure influential people with lawyers on speed dial will not be affected by this new law. But what do you think happens to those taken to hospital with no relatives or friends present at that moment?

A physician only needs to have an ‘opinion’ that death is imminent.

Do you see how vague that description is? Do you see all the ways how this can be abused and misinterpreted when there are:

No lawyers.

No jury.

No court room fight.

No public debate.

Just an opinion.

This law has lowered the line between life and death and based it on the ‘opinion’ of a single person in a country that performs more organ transplants from MAID donors than any country in the world.

The sleepy Canadian province of New Brunswick has becoming the testing ground for stealing organs and euthanasia without consent…..and public compliance.

The line between life and death is sacred. Consent in healthcare should NEVER be automatic, especially not when you’re at risk of having your organs harvested while still alive based on the opinion of one person. I’m sure a wait list of 4 years for organs in a high pressure and profitable organ-market may sway opinions a little.