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Letters: Remembering Catholic Health-care Pioneers
This article is a short letter to the editor responding to The B.C. Catholic’s recent coverage of the history of Catholic healthcare in Canada. Marianne Nederend recalls that her grandmother worked in 1929 with the Sisters of Service at a small hospital in Edson, Alberta, where she did physically demanding laundry work. The letter uses this family connection to express gratitude toward the women and men who helped build Catholic health services in Canada. It serves as a personal reflection on the historical foundations of Catholic healthcare.
By: Letters To The Editor (B.C. Catholic)
A warning from the Canadian Physicians for Life
A message from Canadian Physicians for Life warning against the scheduled 2027 expansion of MAiD eligibility to persons whose sole underlying condition is mental illness. It cites personal testimony, including MP Andrew Lawton’s account of surviving a suicide attempt and living with depression, to argue that extending euthanasia in these circumstances would abandon vulnerable people rather than care for them. The article also points to the ongoing parliamentary review and urges readers to contact their MPs in support of Bill C-218, which would cancel the planned expansion.
By: The Catholic Register
An Alberta man wanted MAID. Instead, he died in a Catholic hospital, waiting to be transferred
An Alberta man who was approved for Medical Assistance in Dying but was unable to receive it at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns Hospital because the site is run by Covenant Health, a Catholic provider that does not allow MAiD on-site. He instead had to be transferred to another facility, but died before that could happen. It also includes commentary from Dr. Andrea Letourneau, a critical care specialist and MAiD provider, who argues that forced transfers impose additional burdens on patients seeking an assisted death. The piece presents the case as a concrete example of the practical consequences of institutional non-participation in MAiD within a publicly funded health system.
By: Stephanie Dubois
Days after MAiD trial ends, Archbishop urges vigilance for Catholic hospitals
Archbishop Richard Smith urged Catholics to remain vigilant in defending the mission of Catholic healthcare. The piece explains that the case centers on whether publicly funded Catholic hospitals in British Columbia can continue operating according to their religious ethics, particularly under the 1995 Master Agreement between the province and the Denominational Health Association. In his World Day of the Sick homily, the Archbishop describes Catholic hospitals as central to the Church’s healing ministry and argues that their mission and integrity should be recognized, valued, and protected within the wider provincial health system.
By: The B.C. Catholic
Accommodating Catholic health care presence and conscience
This article illustrates how Catholic healthcare has long been part of Canada’s publicly funded health system and that its continued presence depends on preserving space for institutional and individual conscience. The piece also claims that newer federal standards are increasing pressure on healthcare workers by expecting them to raise euthanasia with eligible patients and, in some cases, make effective referrals. It presents these developments as part of a broader shift from accommodation toward coercion in matters of conscience.
By: The B.C. Catholic
When Doctors’ Faith Loses to Bureaucratic Power
This article argues that legal and regulatory pressure in Canada is threatening the religious freedom of doctors and faith-based hospitals when institutional beliefs conflict with secular medical law. The piece focuses on a case in British Columbia involving a Catholic hospital that denied on-site access to Medical Assistance in Dying leading a family to sue to compel the facility to allow the procedure. The author claims that forcing medical professionals or institutions to participate in or permit services that contradict their moral convictions undermines freedom of conscience and religious liberty under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
By: Wesley J. Smith
B.C. government struck compromise with assisted dying policy, court hears
This article reports on evidence presented in the British Columbia Supreme Court during a legal dispute over how the province’s assisted-dying policy applies to faith-based hospitals. The court heard that the provincial government reached a “compromise” policy intended to balance access to medical assistance in dying with respect for religious objections by some hospitals, particularly Catholic facilities that do not provide MAID on site. Government witnesses described efforts to ensure patients approved for MAID can receive the procedure without forcing faith-based institutions to act against their beliefs. The testimony also highlighted the role that faith-based facilities, including St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, play in the broader health system and the complexity of maintaining both access and institutional identity.
By: Tara Carman
Exploring Canada’s living tradition of Catholic health care
This article provides an overview of the historical and ongoing tradition of Catholic health care in Canada. It begins by connecting current events, including a legal challenge involving Catholic hospitals in British Columbia, with the deep roots of Catholic healing ministry dating back to early figures such as St. Marguerite Bourgeoys. The article traces how Catholic individuals and religious congregations first established health services long before public systems existed, often providing care in frontier communities and to vulnerable populations. It then explains how these ministries evolved into formal institutions such as hospitals, nursing schools, and care facilities that later operated within publicly funded systems while maintaining a faith-based mission.
By: The B.C. Catholic
Families want Canadian provinces to end MAID opt-out policy for faith-based hospitals
Catholic-affiliated hospitals, including St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, prohibit participation in MAID due to religious doctrine, requiring patients who are approved for the procedure to be transferred to non-religious facilities. Patient advocates and families argue that these transfers can cause additional suffering and distress, particularly for patients who are seriously ill or near death. The article highlights cases where patients were moved shortly before dying, prompting legal action by advocacy groups who claim the policy violates patients’ rights and undermines access to publicly funded health care services. Supporters of the policy argue that religious institutions should be permitted to operate in accordance with their beliefs while continuing to provide other essential medical services. The issue is now before the courts.
By: Caroline Barghout
MAiD for mental illness: ‘Canada is pioneering resignation'
The article reports on the first-reading of Bill C-218, which aims to block the planned expansion of medical assistance in dying to people whose only underlying condition is mental illness. Liberal and Bloc Québécois MPs signalled they are likely to oppose the bill and instead wait for the findings of a joint parliamentary committee on MAiD set to convene in early 2026, while opponents of the expansion argued that safeguards are already failing and that Canada is not prepared to extend eligibility to mental illness alone.
By: Quinton Amundson
Dialysis one way, MAiD the other ? Critics sound alarms about Vancouver clinics offering life or death
Critics, including the head of a prominent anti-MAiD organization raised concerns about the increasing presence of clinics offering the procedure in Vancouver near those that offer health services, such as dialysis. Critics argue that the proximity of services that sustain life and those that end it raises ethical question about how MAiD is integrated into the health system. They say these developments highlight broader unease among pro-life advocates about how MAiD is being normalized in settings where patients face critical decisions about life and death.
By: Terry O’Neil
Pregnant mom uncovers late-term abortions
A pregnant woman describes how she went undercover to document what she says were late-term abortions being performed at a hospital, posing as a patient to obtain information about the procedures. The piece outlines her claims about what she was told by hospital staff and her decision to release recordings and details publicly in order to draw attention to how late-term abortions are handled within the health system.
By: Anna Farrow
Doctors alarmed by Health Canada's push for MAiD talks with patients
Some Canadian doctors are raising concerns about a Health Canada “Model Practice Standard” that would encourage physicians and nurse practitioners to raise the possibility of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) with patients they believe might be eligible and receptive. Critics argue that the guideline could amount to “compelled speech” and influence vulnerable patients toward considering euthanasia. A Health Canada spokesperson said the standard was developed with input from regulatory bodies and clinicians, but reiterated that the federal government cannot force provinces or health authorities to adopt it.
By: Terry O’Neill
Unheard. Unserved: Woman says abortion stigma at N.S. hospital almost took her life
A woman from the Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation reported that after undergoing a medical abortion, she experienced severe bleeding at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital (Antigonish, N.S) and felt dismissed by staff. She says an ER nurse reacted dismissively when told she was having serious complications, attributing the condition to “the pill doing its job.” The hospital operates under a mission assurance agreement with the Sisters of St. Martha, which preserves Catholic values in the facility despite public funding. A nurse practitioner noted that this religious affiliation may contribute to “abortion stigma” within the hospital culture, and called the agreement “incredibly outdated.”
By: Ella Macdonald, Rebecca Lau
New hospital resulting from St. Mary's–Grand River merger won't be Catholic
The upcoming merger between St. Mary's General Hospital and Grand River Hospital in Kitchener will result in a new, secular hospital. This marks a departure from St. Mary's long-standing Catholic affiliation. The new governance structure will feature a secular board of directors. Community reactions are mixed, with some expressing concerns over the loss of Catholic values, while others view the change as a positive step towards broader inclusivity. The new hospital is slated to open in 2026, aiming to provide expanded services and meet the growing healthcare demands of the region.
By: Record Staff
Delta Hospice looks to Alberta for “sanctuary hospice” site after being “stonewalled” by B.C. government
The Delta Hospice Society, which provides secular, palliative care, is planning to establish a MAiD-free “sanctuary hospice” in Alberta after facing resistance from the B.C. government. With funding secured and potential properties visited, the Society seeks Alberta's protection from being compelled to offer euthanasia, something they oppose based on their commitment to traditional palliative care principles. Their original facility in B.C. was seized in 2021 when they refused to allow MAiD, as the Society didn’t qualify for faith-based exemptions.
By: Terry O’Neil
MAiD unit, forced onto Catholic-run hospital campus in Canada, now operational
A government‑mandated MAiD unit has begun operating on the campus of St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, a Catholic‑run facility sponsored by Providence Health Care. Despite the hospital’s policy of not providing MAiD, British Columbia’s health authority established and operates the unit on adjacent hospital land connected by a corridor, while Providence continues to transfer patients seeking MAiD to that space rather than offering it internally.
By: Terry O’Neill
Euthanasia facility quietly opens at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver
A new Medical Assistance in Dying facility has opened adjacent to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, on land taken over by the provincial government. Connected via a corridor to the Catholic-run hospital, the clinic is staffed and operated by Vancouver Coastal Health rather than Providence Health Care, maintaining a strict separation. Providence clarifies that MAID is not performed within its Catholic facility, aligning with their religious directives.
By: Terry O’Neill
Unity Health Toronto welcomes Altaf Stationwala as new President and CEO
Unity Health Toronto, one of Canada's largest Catholic healthcare networks, has appointed Altaf Stationwala as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective July 1, 2025. Stationwala brings extensive expertise in health system operations, integration, and digital transformation. Unity Health Toronto comprises St. Joseph’s Health Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, and Providence Healthcare, and is renowned for its comprehensive patient care, research, and education initiatives.
By: Unity Health Toronto
Catholics, Hippocrates, and reforming American medicine
George Weigel criticizes the current state of American medicine, highlighting how the willful participation of medical professionals in practices such as abortion and euthanasia contradicts the Hippocratic Oath's original intent to preserve life. Weigel calls for a reformation of American medicine to uphold life-affirming values, advocating for the involvement of well-catechized Catholic medical professionals and organizations like the Catholic Medical Association to lead these changes.
By: Geroge Weigel