Alberta's government is set to introduce new legislation limiting access to Canada's assisted suicide program, known as Medical Assistance in Dying or MAID. Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservatives intend to strength safeguards and prevent those suffering solely from mental illness from using the MAID program.

Wednesday's Buffalo Roundtable livestream, Rebel News' weekly panel show focusing on the top issues facing Western Canada, saw Freedom Convoy lawyer Eva Chipiuk and Western Standard columnist Cory Morgan join hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle to discuss the province's plan to address MAID.

“It's great, MAID is another area where they've taken something and just got right out of control,” said Cory, adding he was OK with the program existing for those suffering from terminal illnesses.

The governing Liberals, however, “have totally lost the case on this one,” he said, citing a conversation with a 1990s era advocate for assisted suicide who never envisioned the program applying to people suffering only from mental health issues.

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“It was supposed to be a very last resort for somebody in terrible condition, and it was supposed to be their choice alone,” Cory said, highlighting cases where others were involved in the decision-making process.

The program is “clearly out of control,” Eva said, adding she's struggled to even tackle the heartbreaking topic. “If people are waiting months or years for knee surgery, maybe we should figure out how to deal with that issue. If there's an epidemic with mental health, perhaps we should be looking at the root cause” instead of pursuing assisted suicide.

Sheila said the Liberals' approach went too far when MAID was altered to make the concept of “irredeemable suffering” its core principle. “What really is irredeemable suffering, except trying to access socialized health care and getting on a wait list?”

Canada's crumbling health-care system means it's “quicker to get MAID for the suffering caused by your knee that needs to be replaced than it is to get the knee replaced.”

She said she was “glad” at Alberta's decision to ensure those with mental illness, mature minors, and those without health-care decision-making ability, along with more regulations on those carrying out the procedures, would be forced to operate with more oversight and regulations.

A human life “is just boxes to check,” under MAID's current existing framework, Lise said. “The bureaucracy just takes over and families are suffering because of it.”