Canadian fashion company La Maison Simons has sparked outrage on social media with their promotional video titled “All Is Beauty.” The video chronicles the decision of a 37-year-old woman, Jennyfer Hatch, to undergo voluntary euthanasia due to suffering from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

In the video, Hatch states that “dying in a hospital bed” is not natural and that “last breaths are sacred.” She goes on to say that even in the midst of pain and during her final moments, there is still beauty. Shockingly, the video then displays the text “the most beautiful exit.”

Simons released a second video featuring an interview with the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Simons. In the interview, Simons explains that the ad was meant to “help people reconnect to each other and to this hope and optimism.” He goes on to say that this hope and optimism will be needed if we want to build the sort of communities we want to live in.

It is important to note that while Canada legalized euthanasia six years ago, the practice has been limited to those with a terminal illness over the age of 18. However, in March of last year, the law was amended to allow for euthanasia for patients whose natural death is not “reasonably foreseeable,” paving the way for the mentally ill to receive medical assistance in dying in March 2023.

The legalization of active euthanasia has proved to be highly controversial around the world, with only seven countries allowing the practice as of 2022. Belgium and the Netherlands were the first to legalize medical assistance in dying in 2002, followed by Luxembourg in 2009, Columbia in 2014, Canada in 2016, and Spain and New Zealand last year.

It is truly disturbing that a fashion company would promote the “beauty” in voluntary euthanasia in such a shocking and offensive manner. It is concerning that the Canadian government has expanded their assisted suicide law to include the mentally ill and potentially enable “mature minors” to undergo the controversial practice. It is important for society to have discussions and debates about the ethical implications of euthanasia, but using it as a marketing tactic is simply unacceptable.