Mutual assistance in dying authorized for Canadian author Robert Munsch

Canadian author and celebrated children’s writer Robert Munsch has been approved for medically assisted dying in Canada.

Munsch, known for his 85 published books, including The Paper Bag Princess and Love You Forever, was diagnosed with dementia in 2021 and also has Parkinson’s disease.

Munsch has stated that he has not yet set a date for his passing but will “when I start having real trouble talking and communicating. Then I’ll know.”

Canada initially legalized euthanasia in 2016 for individuals with terminal illnesses. As of 2021, the law encompasses individuals with serious and chronic physical conditions beyond just life-threatening circumstances.

Munsch’s books have sold over 80 million copies in North America alone and have been translated into at least 20 languages, including Arabic, Spanish, and Anishinaabemowin, an indigenous North American language.

In recognition of his contributions, Munsch was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1999. Ten years later, he was awarded a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto.

Munsch’s decision was influenced by witnessing his brother’s death from Lou Gehrig’s disease. He expressed his belief in allowing natural death, rather than prolonging suffering through medical interventions.

Eligibility for assisted dying in Canada requires individuals to be over 18, have a serious and incurable illness, make a voluntary request free from external pressure, and be in an advanced state of irreversible decline.

Two independent medical professionals must assess the patient to confirm eligibility. Munsch’s publisher, Scholastic, commended his willingness to discuss medically assisted dying publicly, noting its impact on many generations.

Munsch’s daughter, Julie, mentioned that her father’s decision to pursue this option was made five years prior. She emphasized that her father is still doing well and that the New York Times Magazine interview did not imply an immediate decline.

According to Canadian law, the individual must be able to give consent on the day of their death. “I have to pick the moment when I can still ask for it,” Munsch stated in the interview.

In 2023, medically assisted dying made up 4.7% of deaths in Canada, most of which were attributed to severe medical conditions such as cancer, affecting 96% of the 15,300 individuals who underwent assisted dying.