内容摘要：Wendy Bruchal, Sandra Cottam-Shea, Norman Greenwood, Stella Moss and Alby Oldham were elected unopposed, leaving one seat vacant

Wendy Bruchal, Sandra Cottam-Shea, Norman Greenwood, Stella Moss and Alby Oldham were elected unopposed, leaving one seat vacant

Critics say Canada is an example of the "slippery slope", meaning that once you pass an assisted dying law it will inevitably widen its scope and have fewer safeguards.Canada now has one of the most liberal systems of assisted dying in the world, similar to that operating in the Netherlands and Belgium. It introduced Maid in 2016, initially for terminally ill adults with a serious and incurable physical illness, which causes intolerable suffering. In 2021, the need to be terminally ill was removed, and in two years' time, the Canadian government plans to open Maid to adults solely with a mental illness and no physical ailment.

Opponents of Maid tell us that death is coming to be seen as a standard treatment option for those with disabilities and complex medical problems."It is easier in Canada to get medical assistance in dying than it is to get government support to live," says Andrew Gurza, a disability awareness consultant and friend of April's.Andrew, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, says he respects April's decision, but tells us: "If my disability declines and my care needs got higher, I'd still want to be here. To know there's a law that's saying you could easily end your life - it's just really scary."

Before she was approved for Maid, April was assessed by two independent physicians who were required to inform her of ways to alleviate her suffering and offer alternative treatments."The safeguards are there," she says, when we press her about disabled people who feel threatened by assisted dying, or whether Maid is being used as a shortcut to better quality care. "If it's not right for you and you're not leading the charge and choosing Maid, you're not going to be able to access it unless it's for the right reasons," she adds.

There were 15,343 Maid deaths in 2023, representing around one in 20 of all deaths in Canada - a proportion that has increased dramatically since 2016 and is one of the highest in the world. The average age of recipients was 77.

In all but a handful of cases, the lethal dose was delivered by a doctor or nurse, which is also known as voluntary euthanasia. One doctor we spoke to, Eric Thomas, said he had helped 577 patients to die.She said evidence from assisted dying laws in Australia and the US showed it could be carried out "safely and effectively, with far reaching benefits for end-of-life care and robust protections for both patients and doctors".

Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day.A man who died in a house explosion which also claimed the life of seven-year-old Archie York has been named locally as Jason "Jay" Laws.

The blast, which happened at about 00:45 BST on Wednesday, destroyed six flats on Violet Close in Benwell, Newcastle.Mr Laws was the brother of professional boxer Joseph Laws, who trains out of Benwell and is a well known figure in the community.