Canada’s government is seeking to expand access to medically-assisted death and repeal a provision that a person’s death be “reasonably foreseeable,” reports the CBC.
The bill, which was introduced in parliament on Monday, would create a two-track system for determining a person’s eligibility for a medically assisted death (MAID). It would also disqualify those whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness and remove the requirement for a 10-day “reflection period.”
"We're talking about people ... who are suffering, families going through some of the most difficult times of their lives," Justice Minister David Lametti said during a news conference in Ottawa.
"So when it comes to these deeply personal and complex issues, we must act responsibly and, most importantly, with compassion.”
The proposed changes would also permit access to MAID to someone who has lost the capacity to consent since deciding to do so through an agreement with a medical or nurse practitioner.
Lametti during the news conference directly reflects to a ruling in September 2019 where a Quebec judge declared parts of the federal and provincial laws on assisted dying unconstitutional.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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