Ottawa Rally Brings Attention to CCC’s Important Work
Rally held to honour the 100 000 individuals who lost their lives to euthanasia since 2016
Compassionate Community Care’s Executive Director, Kathy Matusiak Costa, spoke at the capital on Monday, April 13th, 2026, to commemorate over 100 000, lives lost to euthanasia in Canada since euthanasia (MAiD, medical assistance in dying) became legal. The rally hosted by EPC, followed a press conference in Parliament which featured three prominent speakers on the issue: Dr Peter Blusanovics, Dr . Paul Saba, and Alex Schadenberg of EPC.
Dr Peter Blusanovics, a physician from Montreal Quebec with 30 years experience caring for patients in psychiatric wards stated during the conference: “Mental illness needs to be identified and treated.Those seeking to commit medical suicide aren’t seeking death, but healing.” Dr Blusanovics continued, “There is a current lack of medical support, such as physicians, psychologists, social workers — there is a lack of psychiatric support and long waiting lists to be assessed.”
Dr Paul Saba shared the story of one of his patients:
“One of my patient’s who couldn’t be here today, asked me to tell her story. In her 20’s she was a mother of three small children. She was involved in an abusive relationship. To end her emotional anguish she attempted suicide by hanging. Her neighbour found her and removed the cord around her neck saving her life. If she had been euthanized she wouldn’t have survived because euthanasia with a lethal injection is a guaranteed death- no survivors. Today she’s happy to be alive and mothered another son and has 4 grandchildren.”
Kathy Matusiak Costa shares real-life stories of individuals whose lives have been impacted by the support of Compassionate Community Care (CCC)
The press conference was followed by a rally outside Parliament at 12 noon. The rally featured both doctors speaking as well as MP Tamara Jansen who introduced Bill C-218 last year to stop the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness alone in March 2027. CCC’s Executive Director, Kathy Matusiak Costa, shared about CCC’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable:
“Canadians feel pressure to choose made because of lack of hope, despair, loneliness, and their fear of suffering. These are all normal considerations and situations that people face when pressed with end of life or a health challenge. We’ve had cases of people not being offered treatment for a toe infection, and instead of being referred and approved for MAiD.”
She further shared about CCC’s practical, tangible, and effective solutions: being with one another, calling, and caring for our most vulnerable: “We need better for Canada. We need real care, proper palliative care, and support, compassion and to be with people who are vulnerable. Those who have disabilities and mental illness are fraught with worry at the looming accessibility for me once mental illness is deemed the soul condition.
“We need a culture that cares, not abandons the patient. Being there means truly being present when things get difficult.” Compassionate Community Care accomplishes this through building strong communities that care through our training programs, by visiting and being with those most vulnerable, speaking to seniors through our seniors calling service, and educational programs on advocacy and community growth and development.
CCC has heard from many people that they wish there were a simple, clear way to refuse euthanasia when it is raised in healthcare settings. At the rally this past Monday, a custom button was introduced to meet that need. It reads: “I do not want MAiD. Do not ask again.” Contact CCC if you would like one or more to be shipped to you.