In Canada, a case involving an offer of euthanasia to a healthy patient is drawing attention. Ferry service to Vancouver Island has been disrupted due to a vessel breakdown. A secluded resort in the northern part of the province is being sold for the price of a Vancouver duplex.
Elderly British Columbia woman says she was offered MAID at Vancouver hospital before tests
The story of 83-year-old Miriam Lancaster of British Columbia raises serious questions about the practice of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canadian hospitals. The elderly woman, described by her daughter as being in excellent health, says she was offered euthanasia in a hospital emergency department before doctors had a chance to make a diagnosis.
It all began with sudden severe pain Miriam Lancaster experienced when she got out of bed one morning last year. The pain was so intense that she was taken by ambulance to Vancouver Hospital. However, as she told Vancouver CityNews in an interview, the first thing she heard from a young doctor in the ER were questions about Medical Assistance in Dying. “And I thought: MAID? Good heavens, certainly not MAID. I would under no circumstances agree to that,” Lancaster recalls. For reference, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) is a legally permitted procedure in Canada that allows adults suffering from intolerable and irremediable physical or psychological suffering to voluntarily receive a physician’s assistance to end their life.
Lancaster’s daughter, Jordan Weaver, emphasizes that her mother did not have a terminal illness. “My mom is in wonderful health; we just wanted to relieve the pain. And we wanted to understand what happened. It was hard to determine where the pain came from,” Weaver says. Physicians later diagnosed Lancaster with a sacral fracture — a break in the bone at the base of the spine, typically treated with bed rest. After recovery, the woman was able to return to an active life, including travel to Cuba, Mexico and Guatemala. “She’s full of energy. There’s no reason for her to be thinking about ending her life,” her daughter adds.
The family does not blame Vancouver’s health system or any specific physician, but they express deep concern about the haste with which this extreme option was raised. Lancaster describes how the suggestion, made without prior examination, increased her stress while in hospital. “You’re already upset at being in hospital — no one likes being there — you’re already anxious, and then you’re asked a question that threatens your life… That’s why I’m speaking out publicly,” she explains.
In response to a request, Vancouver Coastal Health said it was not aware of the incident. In a statement, officials noted that under current rules staff may consider raising the topic of MAID based on their clinical judgment, but “emergency department staff are generally not in a position to raise MAID with patients.” This case comes amid a nationwide debate on safeguards to protect vulnerable patients. Earlier in March, the Alberta government introduced legislation to implement additional safeguards around MAID and to create new frameworks to protect vulnerable people. Lancaster believes similar legislation should be considered in British Columbia. “Hospitals should review their policies and not be so quick to offer MAID,” she says.
Statistics underline the issue’s urgency. According to a 2025 report from Statistics Canada, British Columbia is among the provinces with the highest number of MAID cases. Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia together account for nearly 85% of all cases in the country. Miriam Lancaster’s story is not just an isolated incident but an illustration of a broader ethical dilemma: how to balance the right to a dignified death with the need to ensure that right is not offered hastily, under pressure, or before all treatment alternatives are exhausted. Her experience calls into question the adequacy of existing clinical protocols and the potential need for clearer, possibly more restrictive, guidance for healthcare workers, especially in the high-stress environment of the emergency department.
Spirit of Vancouver Island ferry problems lead to cancelled sailings between Vancouver and Victoria
Ferry service between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island has been disrupted by technical problems on one of the fleet’s largest vessels. BC Ferries was forced to cancel several sailings on the key Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay route, causing travel interruptions and requiring emergency schedule adjustments.
On the morning of Tuesday, March 31, BC Ferries announced the cancellation of two sailings of the Spirit of Vancouver Island due to “mechanical issues with the starboard generator.” The first cancellations affected the 9:00 a.m. sailing from Tsawwassen and the 11:00 a.m. sailing from Swartz Bay. However, the situation evolved quickly, and by 11:10 a.m. the number of cancelled sailings had risen to six. A failure of the generator, a critical component of the vessel’s electrical system, took the ferry out of service. To minimize passenger inconvenience, an amended schedule for the day was quickly implemented with four additional sailings. Cancelled sailings had been scheduled for 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00. Added sailings were scheduled for 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 and 22:00. The company advised checking the BC Ferries official website for the most up-to-date schedule and cancellation notices.
This is not the first time the vessel has had problems recently. Just a week earlier, on March 23, the Spirit of Vancouver Island experienced generator issues that also forced schedule adjustments for a full week. The recurrence of incidents raises concerns about the vessel’s technical condition; the ferry is one of the fleet’s flagships. The ship was built in 1994 and was refurbished in 2018 to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), promoted as an environmental improvement. A generator on board produces electricity for all shipboard systems — from lighting and navigation to galleys and control systems. Its failure can directly affect safety and operational capability, necessitating cancellations.
BC Ferries said its support team will contact all passengers who had bookings on cancelled sailings. They will be offered alternative sailings the same day, or a full refund if that is not possible. Nevertheless, mass cancellations on such a busy route, connecting the provincial capital Victoria with the largest city Vancouver, inevitably create significant logistical challenges for thousands of people, including tourists, residents and commercial freight. The situation highlights the vulnerability of a transport network dependent on an aging fleet and presents the operator with the task of ensuring fleet reliability, especially in light of repeated technical failures on this particular ferry.
Secluded British Columbia resort: 14-room log lodge selling for less than a Vancouver duplex
While Vancouver’s real estate market continues to astonish with high prices, a curious story is unfolding in northern British Columbia. The Williston Lake Resort, located on the shore of the province’s largest lake, is now up for sale for CAD 1.7 million. That amount is comparable to the cost of a duplex in the desirable Kitsilano neighborhood, but instead of two homes a buyer would acquire more than 100 acres of land and a fully functioning resort with a log main lodge. According to Vancouver Is Awesome, the property’s original asking price was CAD 2 million, but it was reduced by CAD 300,000 in 2024.
The unique lodge, built by the well-known Pioneer Log Homes company — familiar to many from the TV show Timber Kings — is a massive log structure of 11,000 square feet. Inside are 14 guest rooms, a professional restaurant-style kitchen and a spacious great room with a full-wall fireplace and a wet bar. In addition to the main building, the 103-acre property — slightly smaller than Vancouver’s famed Jericho Beach Park — includes an RV campground, animal husbandry buildings and various outbuildings. The resort is in a remote area rich in wildlife, making it ideal for eco-tourism or a private secluded retreat.
The nearest settlement is the town of Hudson's Hope, with about 1,000 residents, located a 20-minute drive away. The W.A.C. Bennett Dam, the hydroelectric structure that created Williston Lake, is about the same distance. It’s worth noting that Williston is the largest reservoir in British Columbia, formed by the damming of the Peace and Finlay rivers. As for remoteness, Vancouver is roughly a 13-hour drive on good roads, which is certainly a major factor for potential buyers seeking not just a home but another way of life.
The price reduction to CAD 1.7 million makes the property particularly attractive to investors considering tourism opportunities, or to those dreaming of a large family estate far from urban bustle. The key insight is the contrast between markets: for the amount that might buy only part of a home in a metropolis, the province offers an entire operating business with vast land and infrastructure. However, such a purchase comes with challenges in managing a remote property and its logistical needs. Still, for the right buyer this lodge on the shore of a huge lake could become not only a sound investment but the realization of a dream to live amid the wild nature of British Columbia.
