SHEILA GUNN REID | Alberta moves to curb non-terminal euthanasia as debate shifts from pain to purpose

Summary

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Rebel News Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: Sheila Gunn Reid | Alberta moves to curb non-terminal euthanasia as debate shifts from pain to purpose
Date: April 8, 2026
Host: Sheila Gunn Reid
Guest: Amanda Achtman (Activist, Dying to Meet You; Ethics Director, Canadian Physicians for Life)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Sheila Gunn Reid discusses Alberta’s decision to halt the expansion of non-terminal medical assistance in dying (MAID, or euthanasia), especially so-called “Track 2 MAID,” and how the debate is shifting from issues of pain and imminent death toward existential struggles around meaning and purpose. The conversation features guest Amanda Achtman, whose advocacy sheds light on the lived realities behind euthanasia requests and outlines practical and cultural steps communities can take to restore hope and prevent vulnerable individuals from making irreversible choices.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background on MAID and Expansion in Canada

• Canada legalized euthanasia in 2016, initially for terminal cases.
• Expansion quickly followed, with "Track 2 MAID" allowing people with non-terminal conditions, disabilities, or even mental illness (set to be implemented in 2027 unless changed).
• Amanda highlights that legalization leads to continual expansion on supposed grounds of "equality."
  • Notable Quote:

    "Once legalized, euthanasia cannot remain limited, but will always be expanded on the grounds of equality."
    —Amanda Achtman [05:42]

2. The Shift from Medical to Existential Crisis

• Amanda and Sheila emphasize that most people opting for MAID do so not because of acute pain or imminent death, but due to existential issues like loneliness, loss of purpose, or feelings of being a burden.
  • Notable Quote:

    "Euthanasia represents ... an existential crisis. It's a crisis of meaning. ... I insist that it really comes down to disappointments."
    —Amanda Achtman [03:53]

3. Concerns About Track 2 MAID

• Track 2 MAID has broader and more ambiguous eligibility, including those with treatable or transient conditions.
• Legislation to allow MAID solely for mental illness has been passed but implementation delayed (currently set for March 17, 2027).
• Debate includes whether conditions like eating disorders or major depressive disorder could qualify.

Parliamentary Exchange Highlights:

• Timestamps 07:19–09:46:
  • Dr. Gupta (expert witness) answers questions on whether all mental health diagnoses could qualify someone for MAID and highlights ambiguity in legislation and clinical practice.
  • Concerns are raised about the lack of consensus or clear guidelines on what constitutes "irremediable" or "treatment resistant" conditions.

4. Regulating MAID Providers in Alberta

• Alberta has introduced regulations for euthanasia providers, addressing previous lack of standards or oversight.
• Sheila expresses shock at the "Wild West" nature of MAID practice and small subset of doctors administering the bulk of procedures.
• Amanda laments the inversion of medical purpose:
  • Notable Quote:

    "There was actually a euthanasia doctor in the media who said, 'I find myself using the stethoscope to check that the heart has stopped rather than that it is beating.'"
    —Amanda Achtman [10:22]

5. Professional Pressures on Medical Practitioners

• Doctors facing pressure from professional colleges to refer for euthanasia, even against their judgment.
• Some physicians are relocating to jurisdictions with stronger conscience protections or leaving Canada altogether.
  • Notable Quote:

    "Doctors are actually voting with their feet ... based on the euthanasia policies there."
    —Amanda Achtman [11:59]

6. Human Stories and Advocacy

• Amanda shares real stories, such as a woman offered MAID immediately upon hospital admission for treatable pain, who went on to recover fully and live a rich life.
• Viral sharing of these stories is empowering more people to speak out.
  • Amanda predicts a "Me Too" moment as more families and survivors voice their experiences.
  • Families often face accusations of selfishness for fighting for their loved ones.

Impact on Families and Social Fabric:

• Unsolicited offers for euthanasia are detrimental to patient self-esteem and family trust in healthcare.
• The ripple effect of euthanasia impacts families with grief, trauma, and social isolation.
  • Notable Quote:

    "It's addressing those feelings of projection and also preparing ourselves to receive the love and care of others. ... It's a social crisis more than a medical one."
    —Amanda Achtman [25:23]

7. How Community Can Respond: Steps Toward a Life-Affirming Culture

• Examine government data: The top reasons for seeking MAID are not physical pain but loss of ability to engage in meaningful activities, loss of independence, and loss of dignity.
• Need for improved palliative care, but also strong community and family involvement.
• Amanda advocates practical relational support: spending time, meaningful conversation, and involvement with those feeling isolated.
  • Notable Quote:

    "How do we persuade people that the world is better with them in it? It's really a form of suicide prevention that's called for in our euthanasia society."
    —Amanda Achtman [21:52]

8. Resources for Further Engagement

• Amanda directs listeners to her initiative, DyingToMeetYou.com, which houses short films and resources.
• Encourages attending workshops, ongoing conversations, and subscribing to Canadian Physicians for Life for updates on healthcare policies.
• Emphasizes that helping someone change their mind about MAID cannot be reduced to "cue cards" or a script—it requires real relationship and presence.
  • Notable Quote:

    "My heart just kind of sank because ... you can't just do a one pager or cue cards to save lives."
    —Amanda Achtman [26:38]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On legal and existential drift:

  "Labeling path to deaths as tracks is already very sinister and very sad in my view."
  —Amanda Achtman [05:16]

• On family advocacy:

  "Frankly we shouldn't warehouse our old people ... we have to act as advocates for them as they try to navigate the medical system."
  —Sheila Gunn Reid [16:23]

• On combating abandonment:

  "It’s the loving response to mount resistance to this ... form of suicidal ideation and ... abandonment."
  —Amanda Achtman [18:50]

• On the narrative of survivors:

  "When you speak to them, it's almost like you're speaking to the survivors of a violent crime that happened to them."
  —Sheila Gunn Reid [20:17]

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Important Timestamps

• [00:00–03:20] – Episode setup; Sheila introduces Amanda Achtman and the shift in euthanasia debates.
• [03:20–05:15] – Amanda introduces herself and the existential crisis at the heart of MAID requests.
• [05:15–07:19] – Deep dive into Track 2 MAID and legislative background.
• [07:19–09:47] – Parliamentary exchange on mental illness and MAID eligibility.
• [09:47–11:58] – Alberta's regulation of MAID providers; professional issues for doctors.
• [11:58–14:12] – Pressures on physicians, impact on healthcare professionals, and introduction to “Dying to Meet You.”
• [14:12–17:12] – Real-life stories of people offered MAID for treatable conditions; social ripple effects.
• [17:12–21:51] – Impact on families, societal consequences, and legacy of euthanasia choices.
• [21:51–26:17] – Community-based solutions; top reasons for MAID requests per government data.
• [26:17–28:31] – Practical advocacy, Amanda’s resources, and relational approaches to those vulnerable to MAID.
• [28:31–29:09] – Episode wrap-up and thanks to Amanda Achtman.

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Conclusion

This episode presents a critical perspective on the expansion of MAID in Canada, illustrating the shift from physical suffering to existential despair as the primary driver for euthanasia requests. Amanda Achtman’s advocacy work emphasizes that restoring meaning, building supportive communities, and listening with compassion are the best tools for suicide prevention in a society wrestling with legalization of euthanasia. Alberta’s regulatory response is highlighted, along with practical ways families and communities can intervene to support vulnerable individuals facing the MAID decision.

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Transcript

[A]

Alberta is pumping the brakes on the expansion of medical assistance in dying. And today I'm talking to one of the activists who helped get that done. I'm Sheila Gunn Reed, and you're watching the gun show. A couple of years ago, I made a documentary called Maid, as in Medical Assistance in Dying, the Dark side of Canadian Compassion. And one of the things that I learned along the way making that documentary was that people are choosing to euthanize themselves not out of a sense of pain or that their deaths are right around the corner, but because they have lost a sense of usefulness in society. And I learned that from today's guest, Amanda Actman. She is an activist who is working behind the scenes and in front of the camera to tell the stories of people who have been offered medical assistance in dying instead of help. But she's also a person who is telling us what we can do as a society, as members of our community to make sure that people don't lose hope, don't lose that sense of purpose that is driving them into despair. We have the ability to help people who are struggling with pain and illness and depression from feeling like a burden to their families and to society. And so I wanted to have Amanda on the show in light of Alberta, the province of Alberta, pumping the brakes on the expansion of medical assistance in dying, to tell us some of the stories that she's heard from people who have been offered maid, and also what we can do to make sure that this is not something that people are choosing in their darkest hours. Here's the interview we recorded earlier today. Take a listen. So joining me now is Amanda Achtman. Amanda is one of the people featured in our documentary made the Dark side of Canadian Compassion. And she's the person who taught me that imminent death and suffering is really not the reason that people choose to euthanize themselves at the hands of the state. But, Amanda, I. I wanted to have you introduce yourself and your role in your activism in this country to prevent people from making the irreversible choice of choosing medical assistance and dying.

[B]

Thanks so much. Well, I am the founder of a cultural initiative called Dying to meet you, through which I work to humanize our cultural conversations around suffering, death, meaning, and hope. And I also serve as the ethics director for Canadian Physicians for Life, an association of life affirming medical professionals committed to the Hippocratic tradition of do no harm. And you're right to point out what you mentioned at the beginning, because euthanasia represents not so much a medical crisis in this country, though it is very, very much tied to a whole host of medical crises. But from those requesting it, it really is an existential crisis. It's a crisis of meaning. It's a crisis of self worth in the face of certain losses and grief. And so I look forward to discussing the real underlying reasons why Canadians are requesting euthanasia, because I insist that it really comes down to disappointments. Sometimes disappointments with the health care system, but very often disappointments in life in general.

[A]

Now, I think you probably wouldn't toot your own horn, but I know that your advocacy, especially with the doctors that you work with, was instrumental in getting the province of Alberta to pump the brakes on the expansion of Track 2 Maid. And just before we get into that and what Alberta is doing, tell us what Track two MAID really is, because it, it already is very vague and worrisome, and we're seeing people choose euthanasia under that track for things that are completely treatable and transient.

[B]

Yeah, labeling path to deaths as tracks is already very sinister and very sad in my view. And in 2016, Canada legalized euthanasia nationwide. And fewer than five years later, the government was already talking about expanding, expanding it. And the reason is because once legalized, euthanasia cannot remain limited, but will always be expanded on the grounds of equality. That's because if it's seen as a reasonable and compassionate means to address suffering by killing the one who suffers, then why wouldn't this means, why wouldn't this approach be expanded more and more on the grounds of equality? So that's exactly what happened. Because the rationale was there are people who suffer more throughout life, maybe with a chronic illness or a disability or a neurological condition. And so those became the criteria for the expansion, so called track two maid. And that was legalized in 2021. At the same time, euthanasia was expanded on the basis of mental illness as a sole underlying condition for this very reason of equality. The the Senate thought that Bill C7 didn't go far enough by expanding euthanasia to persons with disabilities and insisted that it be amended to also include an expansion on the basis of mental illness as a sole condition. That law passed in March, on March 17, 2021, with a sunset clause that simply delayed the implementation of the mental illness as a sole condition, first of all for two years, and then by another year, and then until 2027. But it's very important for viewers to know that Canada already legalized euthanasia on the basis of mental illness alone. It simply hasn't taken effect yet. And Unless there's an act of legislation to change it. This becomes a risk on March 17, 2027, that people could actually be euthanized in our country whose sole medical diagnosis is a mental illness.

[C]

Thank you, Chair. And thank you, witnesses, for being here. I'll start with you, Dr. Gupta. You were clear in your comments that you don't think it's reasonable to deny people with only a mental illness access to maid if it's permitted for people with a physical condition. Do you believe that all mental health diagnoses could lead to someone being eligible for maid?

[D]

Thanks so much for the question, Mr. Chair. It's an excellent question, and I think the Canadian legislation is quite clear.

[C]

If I may reclaim my time. It was a yes or no question, doctor. I would allow her briefly, Dr. Gupta, to finish your response.

[D]

The legislation is clear that it's trying to capture people in certain kinds of clinical circumstances rather than point to specific diagnoses. So I would say that what's important is the circumstances of the person, not the medical category we classify them with.

[C]

But just for clarity, do you believe that there are certain diagnoses that could never rise to that level of being grievous and irremediable and justify medical assistance in dying as far as diagnostic mental illnesses are concerned?

[D]

Well, there are. Excuse me, Mr.

[A]

Chair.

[D]

There are certainly diagnoses that by definition are intended to be time limited or reactive to certain kinds of circumstances. And I think we can safely assume that those would not meet the legislated criteria as they are currently written.

[C]

Do you believe an eating disorder could qualify someone for maid?

[D]

Again, I think the legislation is clear that it really depends on the circumstances of the person.

[C]

So it could potentially and depends on depression as well. Major depressive disorder.

[D]

Again, it depends on the clinical circumstances of the person.

[C]

Is there consensus among psychiatrists on how many treatments one needs to try or for how long one needs to seek treatment for it to be classed as treatment resistant?

[D]

The use of the term treatment resistance in the clinical research literature is meant to capture different populations depending on the goal of the study being undertaken. So there are a range of different definitions. But of course, as we know, treatment resistant is not the term that's used in the legislation. It is a different term that describes a different set of circumstances than what researchers are interested in when they want to identify a population they consider treatment resistant.

[A]

One of the things that Alberta has done is to regulate euthanasia providers. I had no idea that it was the Wild west out there. I did know that it's a very Small subset of doctors doing the majority of euthanization in this country. But I had no idea that you could just sort of dub yourself a maid provider and then get at her. It's, it's frightening because it seems that there are really no breaks to this system.

[B]

Euthanasia directly ending the lives of patients is not what people go to school for years and years to learn how to do. It is very devastating that there was actually a euthanasia doctor in the media who said, I find myself using the stethoscope to check that the heart has stopped rather than that it is beating. What is going on with the medical profession when there's a complete inversion of, of, of the entire vocation of being a doctor, being to accompany patients in moments of vulnerability and distress. And so you're right to point out that most doctors want nothing to do with this. And yet we're seeing increasingly, even within the medical association with which I'm involved, that medical students, residents, early practice physicians are facing it like they've never faced it before. And it's causing very complex ethical dilemmas for people who are looking to begin entering the healing profession and who want nothing to do with directly ending patients lives.

[A]

Now, before we talk about your work with dying to meet you, what are there professional pressures being put on these doctors who for example, with physicians for life or just any doctor out there who enters the profession of medicine to treat people, to heal them as opposed to kill them, Are they facing professional, professional pressures from their professional organizations or even their peers?

[B]

Yes. And we are losing doctors who are moving to the states because they don't want to practice in this climate. I even know physicians who have moved between provinces in order to find a province that has better conscience protections for physicians. And so doctors are actually voting with their feet and choosing where to live and practice based on the euthanasia policies there. So that's very important to note. And yes, there's a lot of pressure from the College of Physicians to basically make referrals for euthanasia. Even if against a person's medical judgment, a person should not be recommended to, to die and who could refer their patient for death. Really, if a patient, if a physician is really looking out for their patient's good, they will never make a suggestion that they would be better off dead.

[A]

Now I want to talk about your work with dying to meet you, because through your work we're seeing the stories of people who have been offered euthanasia when they go to the hospital for, for routine treatment or to receive treatment for something that is completely treatable. And in so many cases, they. When they go on to live fruitful lives post treatment. And, you know, it frightens me because if that person were in a moment of vulnerable. Vulnerable V. Oh, my goodness, Sheila. If that person were in a moment of vulnerableness, what. What sort of irreversible choice could have been made? And, you know, at the end of the day, and through my work on our documentary, the stories of the families left behind, the helplessness of the families left behind, and the grief and the trauma of what happened, I. I just think it's a cascade of events. But you show us the other side of that, that there is hope, there is healing, and there's. I. I think, to a large extent, happiness on the other side.

[B]

Yeah. I was recently on Vancouver island, and that really is the euthanasia capital. Very high rates of. Of euthanasia there. Everyone seems to know someone who has died by euthanasia. And so while I was there, I met a woman who, after one of my talks, shared that she was offered maid practically upon arrival to the hospital. This was shocking to hear. She had gone in, she had been in excruciating pain. Her daughter called an ambulance, and basically she says, this young doctor came over and said, we would like to offer you maid. And she said, I didn't even know what was wrong with me at the time. And she took a month to recuperate from this back pain that she had. And then she went on to go to Mexico, Cuba and Guatemala shortly after all of that. And so she shared this with me just one to one, after a talk, and I said, would you be willing to say that on camera? And she said, yeah, I don't see why not. And so I recorded a short clip. I posted it on X and it quickly amassed more than 300,000 views. And. And finally some media started to pay attention. It was picked up by the New York Post people, Daily Mail, several other outlets in Canada, and City News Vancouver. And then, interestingly, City News Vancouver received word from another family who came forward because of Miriam's story and said, even though this happened to our family a while ago and we had never thought to bring it to the media, Miriam. Miriam's decision to go to the media made us come forward as well. And that's why I say that there's going to be a bit of a me too moment with maid in Canada where seniors start to become emboldened. And rather than the embarrassment at having been mistreated, they become courageous ambassadors for life, telling us about coming out on the other side full of life and hope and resilience, you know, and I

[A]

know that a lot of the advocacy done around this issue is frequently done by the families closest to the seniors. And so for me this is just another reason why frankly we shouldn't warehouse our old people and we should stay as close to our loved ones as they enter their golden years as Paul Possible we have to act as advocates for them as they try to navigate the medical system. Because you know, when, when our, our seniors, our elderly, our vulnerable are in the medical system alone, there can be a moment of weakness where you feel like a burden on society and that becomes a bit of an earworm that can lead to catastrophic results. Yeah.

[B]

And in a position of vulnerability especially you expect that the doctor is on your side and they're, and that whatever they suggest would be for your good. And so when something is suggested and it actually is for your death, it's so shattering, it really breaks that doctor patient trusting relationship. And I think that these offers, these unsolicited offers of euthanasia are really, really detrimental to the self esteem of seniors and also to the confidence of families in our healthcare. And you're right, there are so many family members who are speaking out and I think this is important especially for those who I think. Well I'll just say that we have a tendency of addressing the euthanasia topic as it pertains to individuals, individuals choices and it's really important that we attend to the social reality and the way that this choice reverberates throughout all of society because it's not a victimless choice. The way that people are left behind, the complex grief, the intergenerational trauma. So I've heard from many people, adult children, adult grandchildren. Two of my latest short films feature the adult grandchildren speaking out. And similarly there was a hesitancy, there was a resistance. And this is why we don't hear a lot of stories from the adult children and adult grandchildren is because sadly, devastatingly, family members are met with the accusation of selfishness for wanting their loved one to be with them as long as possible until their last natural breath. They're accused of selfishness for not wanting a doctor to give them a lethal injection and an overdose of medications that will end their life. It's the complete inversion because euthanasia is what's the opposite of love and it's the loving response to mount resistance to this particular form of suicidal ideation and to this particular form of abandonment. And so we have to resist this and I think more, as more and more family members come forward and say, we are not made for this. This is not natural, this is not healthy, this is not good for us. I don't think it's going to last as well. So I think it's very important that seniors think about their legacy because I don't think this is going to last very long. And if you go through with this, unfortunately, I think you will be part of an anomaly, historically speaking, and your family will know that you at this particular moment, fell for something that was sold as a good, but that was recognized not long after to be gravely evil and dehumanizing.

[A]

Yeah, you know, the film left behind. When you speak to them, it's almost like you're speaking to the survivors of a violent crime that happened to them. They're just. They have this grief and trauma and sense of helplessness that, that in another circumstance they would be met with compassion, but instead they're met with accusations of selfishness or lack of understanding or lack of care. It's the most bizarre inversion that these people have to be traumatized not once by the act, but the second time by the system that perpetrates it. And then to some extent, depending on where you consume your media, the media that sort of celebrates the act of euthanasia. I want to ask you about the best thing that we can do as a society to make this an unthinkable choice for our elderly and our suffering and our sad. Because there are things that we can do while things are being sorted out in the political realm. Because while this may be legal, I would like for it to become unthinkable. And I know you have some, some things that we can do in our communities to, you know, make people understand that this is an unconscionable choice and will leave a hole in the world if they choose it.

[B]

Yes, I'm glad you want to go there because that really is the heart of the matter. How do we persuade people that the world is better with them in it? It's really a form of suicide prevention that's called for in our euthanasia society. And I think the first step is looking at the kinds of suffering that people who are actually going for euthanasia say are driving their request because that takes seriously their motivations and the cry of their hearts. And so one good thing that our government does is release a 95 page, usually report of data around euthanasia. It's called the MAID annual report. And the last one bears similar data to all the previous years and the last one for which we have data is 2024. And there's a chart in there that says the main kinds of suffering leading people to request euthanasia. And the number one kind of suffering, by people's own admission, driving their request, is an inability to engage in meaningful life activities. Inability to engage in meaningful life activities. So the first question is, how do we make sure that, that there are meaningful activities in our lives that can withstand the loss, the circumstances and the conditions in which we are bound to find ourselves as we age, as we develop certain illnesses, as we suffer certain losses? That's really the heart, is the search for meaning. Now, the next reason why people say they're motivated for euthanasia is an inability to do the daily activities of personal care and daily living. And so this too requires some work ahead of time. And this is where people with disabilities have a lot of, I think, insight and contributions to make. Because unfortunately, sometimes when you go through life with a lot of health and independence and wealth, you think, if this or that happened to me, then I wouldn't want to live anymore. But what that attitude does is it actually dehumanizes and devalues everyone who might be in that situation already or through throughout their lives of having less than you, of having certain disabilities. And most people with disabilities will say, I love my life and this is the only life I know. And so if you just kind of live your way into the next step, you'll find you're capable of bearing much more than you thought possible. There's a lot of projection. And so it's addressing those feelings of projection and also preparing ourselves to receive the love and care of others. After probably years of giving and being generous and providing for others, somehow we have to work our way into being able to lovingly receive that attention. Then the next kinds of suffering, by people's own admission, are a loss of independence and a loss of dignity. So again, very interesting. These are very first world problems in terms of driving the euthanasia crisis. And again, this is from the government data of those specifically going for euthanasia. These are the reasons they're giving. And then there's existential distress and a kind of general fear. But only after all of those reasons I've just been discussing does pain, slash, the fear of pain even enter in. And so we do know that there are gaps in palliative care and that not everyone has adequate access to proper medical care and timely medical care. That's first and foremost. That's the basic. We must make sure that we're providing adequate health care, palliative care to people. But again, the driver of euthanasia is not so much that as it is all of the adjacent existential, psychological, social factors. I know that people are asking for euthanasia because they are bereaved. I read the obituaries of people who are opting for maid and it's, there's basically a genre of euthanasia obituaries of, of bereaved spouses, and nobody's talking about this. We have to take seriously the loneliness, the alienation, the abandonment, because this is a social crisis more than a medical one.

[A]

Amanda, how do people find the very important work that you're doing to address those issues of loneliness, isolation and abandonment?

[B]

You can go to dyingtometeyou.com and see the short films I've released. There are going to be more resources coming soon. I was recently hearing from someone who said, oh, this person is planning on dying by maid. Do you have talking points? And I, my heart just kind of sank because it's, it's very inadequate. You can't just do a one pager or cue cards to save lives. It takes, it takes the engagement. And so I gave her a call and I said, why does this person want to die? And she said, well, she's terrified of being a burden to her adult sons. And I said, well, please tell her that nothing would burden her sons more than her suicide and that she is a gift for them as long as she lives. But you can't script all of this ahead of time. It takes coming alongside and, and so that's why I travel all across Canada all the time, engaging people every day in the uniqueness of their circumstances. And I hope that the videos, the podcasts, the short films give a bit of a flavor of those discussions. I do a lot of workshops all across the country so we can engage these themes of meaning, dignity, dependence together in community through actual workshop exercises. And if people are looking to learn more about life affirming healthcare in Canada, you can check out Physicians for Life ca. Join the email list there. Get a weekly digest of about of news from a life affirming healthcare perspective about the latest developments legislatively and within the professional domain concerning this. So stay engaged in the issue, have conversations every day about these topics. Because what I find is without exception, is that people want to talk about suffering, death, meaning and hope. And you can be the occasion to create that opening. It might seem uncomfortable or awkward at first, but you'll see that it becomes a basis for intimacy, communion and depth that you would not have wanted to miss.

[A]

Amanda, thank you so much for the work that you do to help the vulnerable, help their families navigate these challenges in our bizarre death focused society. I, I've seen you the work that you do firsthand. I've, I've seen you take phone calls and it's just admirable your drive to change lives and to save lives. So thank you so much Amanda for the work that you do on behalf of Canadians. But I think it for the world writ large. So thanks Amanda.

[B]

Thanks for all you do too and it was great to be a part of the documentary project with me YouTube.

[A]

Thank you. As always. The last portion of the show goes to you, our viewers at home. I want to know what you think about the work that we do here at Rebel News because, well, without you, there's no Rebel News. We don't take any money from the government. So I better care what you people think about the work that we do over here. One of the ways you can send me viewer feedback is to send me an email. Sheila rebel news.com put gun show letters in the subject line so I know why you're emailing me and let me know what you think about my interview with Amanda. But there are also other ways that you can engage with us and perhaps see your viewer comment read on air. Leave a comment in the comments section where you find free clips of the show that does a couple of things for us. It, well obviously provides your feedback, but it also means that our content is engaged with and if it's engaged with, then it ends up served up to more people in the algorithms either on rumble or on YouTube. So do that for me too if you're so inclined. Now today's viewer feedback comes to me by way of my interview that I did when I was hosting for Ezra last week on the Ezra Levant show with Alberta's Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides. Now he had introduced and passed now some days later, Bill 25. Bill 25 is political neutrality in the classroom, which means that activist teachers cannot drag their politics into the classroom and then stuff them down the throats of your kids so that you have to constantly deprogram your kids once they get home. Although it is a good idea to just needle them about what they learned in a day so that all that political neutrality law also banned pride flags, which is a delight for someone like me and people who just want kids to go to school and learn. So I thought I would go get your viewer feedback from that. So user lq4cc8z1t says this is definitely an issue in my kids elementary class. Field trips and class guests are also a regular point of contention. There is anything but balance presenting multiple points of view or critical thinking even though they regularly assert they teach this. I know the government lets the school system perform hiring, but these hires most definitely come with undesired ideology ingrained. Maybe we should just outright Ben hiring from bc. That's so funny. Well you know the good news is there will be an ability for you to complain if this doesn't stop in the classroom. Ari4 writes how to think, not what to think. Bravo. That's a direct quote from the minister who said, you know, this is what we want to occur in the classroom. We want kids to learn how to engage with a range of ideas instead of just the ideas that the teacher thinks are the only acceptable ones in society. Antherium4U says school is for learning, not indoctrination. So glad this is happening. Way too many teachers think their beliefs are the only beliefs. Yeah rock duik615 it seems like every day I find another reason to be proud of Alberta. That pride only increases when we become the Republic of Alberta and get free of Kearney and Carney. Field a play on brookfield there. Patty Crampsholme 1169 as far as having to protect this law, perhaps a huge house cleaning is required. This multi letter ideology has been slid into the system over many years. We never really saw it coming until it seemed to hit us between the eyes. Every single teacher that wants to keep pushing this lie upon children needs to be fired. Period. Sometimes flipping over the card table is the only way. Isn't that what Jesus did? Flipping the tables? Yeah, I think a lot of people didn't realize how this sort of ideology ideological infestation in the classroom crept in until it was just fully rooted. And now we have to pull those weeds out by the roots. Last one, Ali Kostova225 says this is not a free speech issue. Teachers, your employees are bound to a code. If I was a salesperson caught selling the virtues of the competition, I'd be fired. Your union is neither elected nor representative of the voters. Quit pretending otherwise. It's getting so tiresome. Let's fund the students, not the institution. Competition will break these crazy ideologues. You know Alberta has the most diverse school system in the entire country and you know who hates it the most? The teachers union. Isn't that funny? You know where you have the ability despite your socioeconomic background to choose private school, charter school, religious school, or secular school in this province. But the teachers union really hate it because every kid is supposed to just struggle their way through the cookie cutter system where the unionized teachers can do whatever they want. Well, not anymore. Well, everybody, that's the show for today. Thank you so much for tuning in. I'll see everybody back here in the same time in the same place next week. And as always, don't let the government and also the teachers tell you that you've had too much to think.