Discussion · Government Orders
Jacques Ramsay Liberal
“This bill says a patient must be suffering intolerably when they receive medical assistance in dying, but it is not clear if mental suffering counts. Quebec's law allows a trusted person to speak for a family member about that suffering. I want to know the member's thoughts on this trusted person concept, which is not in this bill.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan very much. Earlier, I asked her colleague a question about the trusted third person, which is a feature of Quebec’s law, but I did not have time to elaborate. One of the things this bill requires is that, at the moment when MAID is provided, the patient’s suffering must be enduring and intolerable. It is not clear whether mental suffering would count. It does under Quebec’s law, because the trusted third person could say, for example, that their relative needs it and does not want to live with that suffering. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on the trusted third person concept, which is not present in—”
Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan very much. Earlier, I asked her colleague a question about the trusted third person, which is a feature of Quebec’s law, but I did not have time to elaborate. One of the things this bill requires is that, at the moment when MAID is provided, the patient’s suffering must be enduring and intolerable. It is not clear whether mental suffering would count. It does under Quebec’s law, because the trusted third person could say, for example, that their relative needs it and does not want to live with that suffering. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on the trusted third person concept, which is not present in—