Medicine Hat senior MAID application denied

A Medicine Hat senior who applied for MAID, also known as medical assistance in dying has had his application denied. Sixty-five year old Les Landry who applied for MAID last year after having his disability benefits cut off, has been very public online about his struggles with poverty. The executive director for Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, Alex Schadenberg, believes Landry’s application was denied because he was so public about his case on social media. 

“He made it quite clear that it had a lot to do with poverty. So I think that’s probably why he was denied. But the fact is that there’s nothing in the law that says once you’ve been denied once or twice that you still can’t have medical aid in dying. The law only requires one doctor to assess you and to agree, and the second doctor to agree with the first doctor or nurse and their assessment. So it’s still possible that he might get approved. I’m not saying he should be, I’m just saying it’s still possible he might get approved.”

Landry was charged with one count of kidnapping following an alleged incident involving a housekeeper last month. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 28th.