‘Untold damage’: Global assisted suicide movement targets children

In 2022, 17-year-old Canadian cancer patient Markus Schouten wrote to Parliament opposing efforts to expand Canada’s assisted suicide laws to minors. In his final letter, Markus urged lawmakers to “alleviate suffering without eliminating the sufferer,” closing with the words, “Life is worth living, even when we are dying.” He passed away shortly after, surrounded by loved ones.

Today, his parents, Mike and Jennifer Schouten, continue his mission to prevent “mature minors” from accessing assisted suicide, joining global advocates who argue that the growing euthanasia industry preys on vulnerable people who need care, not death. Critics say safeguards are disappearing as more countries and states expand access to assisted death, with Canada expected to include psychiatric patients by 2027.

A Fox Digital investigation found that the assisted suicide movement has developed into a large and well-funded international network of more than 90 organizations working to change laws and expand end-of-life options around the world. Supporters often describe their efforts using terms such as “medical assistance in dying” and “dying with dignity,” while opponents argue that such language can obscure the ethical and social risks of normalizing assisted death.

The “mature minor doctrine,” originally meant to give limited medical discretion to teens, is now being used to argue for children’s autonomy to choose death. In countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Colombia, minors can already legally access euthanasia. Canada’s 2023 committee report recommended extending that right to some youth, saying a minor’s wishes should outweigh parental objections.

For more information see Asra Q. Nomani”‘Untold damage’: Global assisted suicide movement targets children,” Fox News, October 19, 2025.