The Writing on the Wind’s Wall by Kevin Andrew Heslop
Dialogues about Medical Assistance in Dying
Some books are designed to persuade readers to adopt a certain viewpoint. The Writing on the Wind’s Wall: Dialogues about ‘Medical Assistance in Dying’, edited by Kevin Andrew Heslop, is not one of them.
The Writing on the Wind’s Wall provides a range of viewpoints and insights about medical assistance in dying, or MAiD, in Canada. These insights and viewpoints come through interviews conducted by Heslop, with interviewees coming from London, Ontario.
Those interviewed have a variety of connections to MAiD. Some have had loved ones go through the MAiD process. Others have been involved in establishing policies and procedures for MAiD. Some are opposed to MAiD, some have concerns about certain aspects, and others are proponents.
There are interviews with a retired teacher who is living with dementia, a Parliamentarian who voted in favour of the MAiD legislation, and a nurse who became a “death doula,” facilitating end-of-life preparations.
The interviews are not exclusively about MAiD. In some cases, we learn a lot about the interviewee’s life story and their background, as well as their opinions about MAiD. This helps the reader understand the person’s views on MAiD in the context of their particular experiences.
My favourite chapters were those discussing the formulation of policies and procedures to move from legislation to actual practice, the ethical issues related to MAiD, and how the psychiatric community would view medical assistance in dying for people with mental illness, which is a proposed future expansion of the program.
Another interview I found compelling featured a disabled Anglican priest, who discusses, among other things, the need to ensure that MAiD’s availability as a way to alleviate suffering doesn’t reduce our focus on societal reforms to assist the vulnerable, who might be tempted to avail themselves of MAiD because they can’t get the support they need.
The book begins with an extensively-footnoted chapter that provides information about MAiD legislation in Canada, including some of the legal decisions that led to its development. This section includes statistics about usage of MAiD in Canada as well as information about the reasons people have given for requesting MAiD.
In this era of increasing polarization, it’s tempting for people to seek out voices that reinforce their own viewpoints. Books like The Writing on the Wind’s Wall offer a different approach, giving readers the opportunity to adjust their opinions as they see fit after listening to a range of viewpoints expressed by others.
First enacted into legislation in 2016, MAiD has continued to evolve within Canada. It has touched many peoples’ lives, directly or indirectly. As time passes, this impact is likely to increase. MAiD is a nuanced issue, and those wishing to explore the subject of MAiD from different perspectives should find The Writing on the Wind’s Wall of interest.
About the Author
Kevin Andrew Heslop is a multidisciplinary artist from Canada. He made his poetry debut in 2021; curatorial, 2022; directorial, 2023; screenwriting, 2024. The Writing on the Wind's Wall: Dialogues about 'Medical Assistance in Dying' is his nonfiction debut. Dialogues conducted during artist residencies from 2023 in Serbia, Finland, France, Brazil, Denmark, and Japan will appear in two volumes as Craft, Consciousness: Dialogues about the Arts with Guernica Editions in 2027 and 2028. Kevin is currently living in São Paulo to research his first feature film, a biopic about Zé Celso. For more about Kevin's practice, visit kevinandrewheslop.com.
About the Reviewer
Lisa Timpf lives in Simcoe, Ontario, where she writes poetry, book reviews, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Lisa’s speculative poetry collections Cats and Dogs in Space (2025) and In Days to Come (2022) are available from Hiraeth Publishing in print and electronic formats. Lisa is a member of SF Canada and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association. You can find out more about her writing projects at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/. Lisa is also on Bluesky, @lisatimpf.bsky.social
Book Details
Publisher: Porcupine's Quill
Publication date: Nov. 1 2025
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1774221888
ISBN-13: 978-1774221884