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Medical Assistance in Dying

During oral questions, members raised the delay of medical assistance in dying for cases where mental illness is the sole condition. Judy Sgro said the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying heard this spring from doctors, psychiatrists and patient groups that provinces and territories are not ready to offer medical assistance in dying solely for mental illness, and asked how the government’s new bill reflects that. Parliamentary Secretary Maggie Chi responded that the government supports provinces and territories in delivering health care, including end-of-life care, that the bill would stop medical assistance in dying where mental illness is the sole condition, and that this is meant to protect vulnerable people.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

2 statements

Judy A. Sgro

Liberal
“Doctors and patient groups told us provinces are not ready to offer medically assisted dying just for mental illness. How does our new bill reflect that?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, throughout the spring, the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying heard from witnesses who included doctors, psychiatrists and many patient groups. Their testimony confirmed that provinces and territories were not ready for medical assistance in dying to be offered in cases where mental illness was the sole underlying condition. Can the parliamentary secretary tell us how this perspective is reflected in the medical assistance in dying safeguards act?

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Maggie Chi

Liberal

Linked statement

“We support this bill because it stops people from getting medical assistance in dying solely for mental illness. We heard that provinces and territories are not ready for this. We must protect vulnerable people.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Humber River—Black Creek for her thoughtful perspective and contributions to this very important subject. Our government will always support our provincial and territorial partners in developing and delivering health care, including end-of-life care. That is why the MAID safeguards act reflects what we have heard and why it would ensure that mental illness cannot be the sole underlying condition for someone requesting medical assistance in dying. MAID is a deeply personal issue for many Canadians and we want to ensure that we have protection in place for our most vulnerable people.

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