Mary Kills People is a brand new Canadian television show starring Caroline Dhavernas. Mary Kills People is a fictional show which centers around Dr. Mary Harris, an ER doctor who engages in assisted suicide. The series premier took place on January 25, 2017. According to this Toronto Star interview with the show’s writer, Tara Armstrong, Tara came up with the idea for the show while she was at the University of British Columbia.
As you may be aware from our blog, by reasons dated February 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada found the criminal code prohibitions against physician assisted suicide to be unconstitutional. This landmark decision originated in proceedings before the British Columbia Supreme Court. In 2011, the Plaintiffs in Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), amongst other evidence, put forth 13 affidavits from individuals who wished to have the option of assisted suicide. The Plaintiffs also sought to admit additional witness evidence, on an anonymous basis, from a person called “L.M.” who swore an affidavit which set out the circumstances in which his terminally ill father had ended his own life with the help of his physician and how L.M., his sister, and his sister’s physician assisted L.M.’s terminally ill mother in ending her life. In an order to protect L.M.’s identity the Plaintiffs’ also sought procedural relief which would allow L.M. to be cross-examined and/or testify behind a screen. However, this relief was rejected by the Hon. Madam Justice Smith at first instance and L.M.’s evidence was not a part of the trial record. See Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), [2011] B.C.J. No. 1897, for this particular evidentiary ruling.
While I have not seen the show (yet), and I am not aware of the inspiration or research behind the show, it will be fascinating to see if and how the role of the Courts and judicial reform will be featured on Mary Kills People.
Click here for the Season 1 teaser of Mary Kills People.
Happy reading (and watching)!