48-Year-Old Canadian Actress Files Lawsuit Over Mental Health Exclusion in Canada’s Medical Aid in Dying Program

A Canadian actress and comedian has filed a legal challenge seeking access to medically assisted suicide, arguing that Canada’s exclusion of people with mental illnesses from the program violates her rights.

Claire Brosseau, 48, is pursuing the case after decades of living with mental health conditions she says have proved resistant to treatment.

Reporting indicates Brosseau is seeking eligibility under Canada’s Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) program, which permits assisted death for patients with what the law defines as a “grievous and irremediable medical condition.”

Born in Montreal and known for appearing in dozens of film projects, Brosseau has described a lifelong struggle with manic depression, anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, chronic suicidal ideation, and other psychiatric conditions.

In interviews and an open letter published on her Substack last year, she stated she has attempted suicide multiple times and been treated by numerous psychiatrists and counselors in the U.S.

She has undergone extensive treatment over the years, including more than two dozen psychiatric medications, talk therapy, behavioral therapy, art therapy, and electroconvulsive therapy.

Brosseau told reporters that none of these interventions has provided sustained relief from what she described as constant psychological suffering.

Canada expanded its MAID law in recent years, but people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness remain excluded after repeated delays tied to the development of clinical safeguards and assessment standards.

The federal government has stated it needs more time to ensure consistent and ethical application of the policy.

Brosseau first decided to pursue assisted death through MAID in 2021, according to reporting.

With the mental illness exclusion still in place, she has joined a lawsuit alongside the advocacy group Dying With Dignity Canada, arguing that the current framework discriminates against people with psychiatric disabilities. The case is ongoing.

Under existing timelines, people with mental illness alone may not be eligible for MAID until at least 2027. Brosseau has stated she does not believe she can wait that long.

Despite describing what she called “an embarrassment of riches,” including close relationships with friends and family and a strong attachment to her dog, Olive, Brosseau has stated she expects to die by suicide if she cannot access assisted death through legal means.

Her treatment providers are divided. One psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Fefergrad, expressed concern about her pursuit of MAID and said he has seen patients recover after extended periods of severe illness.

“I believe she can get well,” he told reporters. “I don’t think MAID is the best or only choice for her.”

Another psychiatrist, Dr. Gail Robinson, stated that she considers the exclusion of psychiatric patients from the law to be discriminatory.

“I would love her to change her mind,” Robinson told reporters. “I would hope that she would not have to do this. But I will support her.”

If Brosseau ultimately gains access to assisted death, she has said she hopes several people close to her—including her psychiatrists, her sister, her parents, and her dog, Olive—will be present to support her. She has also stated she does not want them in the room at the moment of her death.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.