medically assisted dying

The federal government is expected to introduce a law as early as Thursday to delay the extension of medically assisted dying eligibility to people whose sole condition is a mental disorder.

Debate over medical assistance in dying is heating up as a deadline approaches to expand the program to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder. 

Leading experts involved in developing an expansion of Canada's medically assisted dying regime to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder are at odds over whether the expansion should be delayed.

A special joint parliamentary committee will now consider its report on current legislation on assisted death and whether to expand who is eligible to opt for it.

The controversial Bill C-7 would expand the number of people who can access medical assistance in dying — an amendment opposed by many Conservative MPs in the House of Commons last week.

Many people will suffer needlessly if Conservatives continue filibustering a bill on medically assisted dying beyond a court-imposed deadline of Dec. 18, Justice Minister David Lametti said Tuesday.

The Quebec government won't appeal a court ruling last month that struck down sections of the provincial law on medically assisted dying that were deemed unconstitutional.

A Quebec Superior Court judge has invalidated sections of both the federal and Quebec laws on medically assisted dying, ruling on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, they were too restrictive and therefore unconstitutional.

Armed with a court judgment that potentially expands access to medical aid in dying across the country, one of the Quebecers who led the legal fight described it on Thursday, September 12, 2019, as a win for those struggling with incurable, debilitating diseases.