The Spectator

Who chooses assisted suicide in Canada?

iStock 
issue 30 November 2024

Sign of the times

A petition for an immediate general election gathered 2.7 million signatures in five days.   What are the other most popular petitions on the UK parliament website this week?

— Introduce 16 as the minimum age to have social media (112,500 signed).

— Don’t change inheritance tax relief for working farms (85,600).

— Limit sale and use of fireworks to licence holders only (68,000).

— Introduce a compensation scheme for Waspi women (56,600).

— Apply for the UK to join the EU as a full member as soon as possible (50,100).

Die is cast

Who chooses assisted suicide in Canada?    — In 2022, 13,241 people ended their lives in this way, 4.1% of all deaths. This is more than in any other country where the practice is allowed (the Netherlands is next, with 9,068 deaths last year).

— The average age was 73.6. 1.3% were 18-45, 3.2% 46-55 and 10.5% 56-64.

56% were male and 44% female.

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