iN NUMBERS: BCers split when it comes to doctors objecting to MAID based on beliefs

Health care is a controversial issue, and a lot of British Columbians think doctors should be allowed to decline to perform controversial procedures, like medical assistance in dying or abortions, because of their beliefs. Some also think doctors should be allowed to decline helping people in the LGBTQ community.

Here are some numbers from a recent Research Co. survey:

• 44: Per cent of British Columbians polled said health-care professionals should be allowed to object to providing physician-assisted death if they have a faith-based or moral objection.
• 680: Medically-assisted deaths happened in the Interior Health region in 2024.
• 58: Per cent of medically assisted deaths in B.C. in 2024 were for patients who had cancer.
• 42: Per cent of British Columbians polled said health-care professionals should be allowed to object to provide abortions if they have a faith-based or moral objection.
• 30: Per cent of British Columbians polled said health-care professionals should be able to object to serving people in the LGBTQ community.
• 41: Per cent of British Columbians polled said they would support a bill to allow health-care professionals to deny service because of religious or moral beliefs.
• 47: Per cent of Albertans polled think health-care professionals should be able to object to physician assisted death because of faith-based objections, the highest rate for any province.
• 48: Per cent of Canadians polled said doctors shouldn’t be able to object to providing abortions based on faith or moral objections.
• 53: Per cent of federal Conservative voters polled think moral or faith-based objections should be allowed in health care.