Government of Canada Tables Bill C-7 Legislation to Expand Access to Medically-Assisted Suicide:
On February 24th, during a news conference in Ottawa, Justice Minister David Lametti announced Bill C-7, an act to amend the law on Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID).
Bill C-7 removes the requirement for a person’s natural death to be reasonably foreseeable in order to be eligible for MAID.
Bill C-7 is the federal government's response to the Quebec Court decision that struck down the section of Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID) law that required that "natural death be reasonably foreseeable" before qualifying for MAID.
Bill C-7 creates 2 important amendments:
1. A person for whom 'death is not imminently foreseeable' can apply for MAID after a 90 day waiting period.
2. The 10 day waiting period for a person for whom 'death is imminently foreseeable' has been waived as well as needing the patient to provide final consent.
| 1. | A person for whom 'death is not imminently foreseeable' can apply for MAID after a 90 day waiting period. |
| 2. | The 10 day waiting period for a person for whom 'death is imminently foreseeable' has been waived as well as needing the patient to provide final consent. |
Both of these amendments make assisted death more accessible, which also makes Canadians vulnerable to subtle coercion more vulnerable.
The bill does state that it excludes eligibility for individuals suffering solely from mental illness.
The government's Bill C-7 comes at the heels of a nation-wide survey that asked Canadians for their opinions on the expansion of MAID. 300,000 Canadians completed the survey.
ACTION ITEM:
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP: With the tabling of this bill, our Members of Parliament will be both debating it and voting on it in the days ahead. This means that now is the most important time to share your voice.
For more information, please read the following recent articles:
1. CBC News Feb 24th Report
2. Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
3. Government of Canada Feb 24th News Release
