Cruel, disrespectful: B.C. family calls for changes to faith-based MAID policy [Video]

The family of a B.C. woman who sought help from MAID to end her life but was ultimately denied say changes need to be made.

Medical Assistance in Dying, or MAID, has been legal in Canada since 2016. However, due to faith-based policies, MAID is not permitted in some hospitals and facilities in B.C.

This year, there have been 17 forced transfers of patients to receive MAID out of facilities run by Providence Health Care in Vancouver, as it is a Catholic health-care provider.

There were an additional two transfers but they were to people’s homes and therefore, not forced.

Providence Health Care wouldn’t make someone available to speak on camera but confirmed the forced transfers included nine from St. Paul’s Hospital, four from Mount Saint Joseph, two from St. John Hospice and four from May’s Place Hospice.

Sam O’Neill, 34, was a patient at St. Paul’s Hospital last year.She had terminal cancer …