🔗 Share this article

Beloved writer for young readers Robert Munsch has received approval for medically assisted dying in Canada.

Munsch, whose 85 published books are led by The Paper Bag Princess, was found to have memory loss in 2021 and additionally suffers from Parkinson’s.

Munsch noted that he had not decided a specific time, but mentioned he would take action "once I begin experiencing real trouble speaking and expressing myself."

Canada began allowing euthanasia in 2016 for individuals facing incurable diseases. Two years ago, the legislation expanded to cover those with serious and chronic physical conditions, even in non-imminently fatal cases.

Munsch has distributed more than 80 million books in North America alone and his publications have been rendered in at least 20 languages—such as Arabic, Spanish and Anishinaabemowin.

In 1999, Munsch was inducted of the Order of Canada. In 2009, he received a recognition along Canada's Walk of Fame downtown Toronto.

Munsch explained that his choice was shaped by observing his sibling die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, referred to as motor neurone disease.

He said, "Medical teams prolonged his life through all these interventions. My view was, allow nature to take its course."

Under Canadian law, adults over 18 must meet a number of requirements to be qualified for medical assistance in dying.

Requirements involve having a "grave and untreatable condition", making a "unpressured decision" that is not the result of outside influence, and being in an "profound phase of permanent deterioration in ability".

Two independent healthcare providers must then assess the individual to ensure that all necessary criteria are satisfied.

Munsch's literary representative remarked that his move to speak publicly about assisted death "reinforces why Robert's work continues to impact many generations."

Munsch's child, Julie, shared that her father's decision to opt for medically assisted dying was determined half a decade back.

Julie referred to the feature as "well-done", but clarified that "at no point is it suggested my dad isn't doing well, nor that he's passing away anytime soon."

Under Canadian law, the person must be able to actively consent on the time of the procedure.

Munsch emphasized, "I have to pick the moment while I am still able for it."

Assisted death represented nearly 5% of passings in Canada in 2023, according to the newest public records.

Roughly 96 percent of the 15,300 people who received the procedure in 2023 had a outcome considered "reasonably foreseeable", because of grave health issues like cancer.