About Us
The National Working Group (NWG) was convened by the Canadian Virtual Hospice to address the lack of information and support for individuals, families, caregivers, and healthcare providers about MAiD. The early work was funded by a Golda Fine Award to Dr. Sandy Buchman through the Temmy Latner Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Health Canada has provided funding to expand and update the work.*
The NWG includes clinicians, MAiD practitioners, ethicists, researchers, advocates, and families. We are thankful for their wisdom and commitment. We are especially grateful to those who have shared their experience of considering MAiD, as well as those who shared their experience of having someone they care about die with MAiD. These stories formed the foundation of this work.
We also wish to recognize the contributions and wisdom of our colleague Dr. Joshua Shadd, who died during the development of this work. Josh was a brilliant, dedicated palliative care physician whose loss is deeply felt.
*The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of Health Canada.
National Working Group
Monica Branigan, MD, MHSc (Bioethics)
Palliative Care Physician Consultant, SK
Liana Brittain
Medical Assistance in Dying Patient and Family Advocate, ON
Sandy Buchman, MD, CCFP (PC), FCFP
Palliative Care Physician, Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care & Medical Director, The Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Past-President, Canadian Medical Association/ Association Médicale Canadienne, Associate Professor Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, ON
Stephanie Connidis, MD, CCFP (PC)(COE), RACGP
Family Medicine, Palliative Care Consultant, Medical Director Hospice Halifax, NS
James Downar, MDCM, MHSc
Head and Associate Professor, Division of Palliative Care, University of Ottawa, ON
Jocelyn Downie, CM, FRSC, FCAHS, SJD
Professor, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University, NS
Ceilidh Eaton Russell, MSc, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist, ON
Stefanie Green, MDCM, CCFP
President, Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers (CAMAP), BC
Shanaaz Gokool
Former Chief Executive Officer, Dying With Dignity Canada, ON
Mike Harlos, MD, CCFP(PC), FCFP
Former Professor and Palliative Medicine Section Head, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba; Medical Director, Adult and Pediatric Palliative Care Program, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority; Clinical Team Lead Canadian Virtual Hospice, MB
Helen Long
Chief Executive Officer, Dying With Dignity Canada, ON
Tara Noble, MSW, RSW
Grief & Palliative Care Counsellor, Dr. Jay’s Children’s Grief Centre, ON
Victoria Pileggi, PhD
Research and Evaluation Coordinator, Dr. Jay’s Children’s Grief Centre, ON
Adam Rapoport, MD, FRCP(C), MHSc
Medical Director, Paediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT) at The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto) and Medical Director, Emily’s House Children’s Hospice (Toronto), ON
Joshua Shadd, MD, MClSc, CCFP(PC)
Former Director Division of Palliative Care Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, QB
Jill Taylor-Brown, MSW, RSW
Psychosocial Specialist, Shared Health Manitoba MAiD Services, Canadian Virtual Hospice, MB
Andrea Warnick, RN, MA
Registered Psychotherapist, Andrea Warnick Consulting, ON
Kim Wiebe, MD, FRCPC, MPH
Medical Director Shared Health MAiD Services, Board Member Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers (CAMAP), MB
Contributors
Ramon Ayre
MB
Rennie Regehr
MB
Tanis Newsham, MSW, RSW
MB
Sandra Wadsworth
Video interviewees
Don Ayre
Melody Bodnarchuk
Dr. Sandy Buchman
Dr. Francois de Wit
Stéfanie Gingras
Honor
Anna-Maria Laughlin
Darla-Jean Lindstrom
Dr. Sally MacDonald
Micha Menczer
Fred Nelson
Tara Noble
Marney Thompson
Deb Ummel
Kari Urquhart
Dr. Kim Wiebe
Sharing
We encourage organizations to share these resources widely by adding a link on their websites, printing and distributing materials, and including in their newsletters and presentations. Please ensure that you acknowledge Canadian Virtual Hospice and Health Canada. To organize a webinar on MAiD or related topics, email info@virtualhospice.ca.
Cobranding
Organizations wishing to customize the resources by adding their logo to the front can contact info@virtualhospice.ca.