A June 6 deadline to have physician-assisted dying legislation in place has raised tensions in the House of Commons. With the Supreme Court of Canada-imposed deadline approaching, there is a fine line between needing to pass something quickly and making sure the legislation is tabled adequately.
There was a heated debate during question period on May 18 about the Bill C-14 legislation, which led to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau making physical contact with members of the opposition.
The opinions expressed by members of the NDP and the Conservative Party were focused on the importance of allowing members of parliament sufficient time to discuss the details of this important legislation. They argued by denying them that opportunity the government would be hastily passing a bill that requires further review and essential amendments, as reported in the House of Commons Hansard.
One of the key concerns about the bill, as it is currently drafted, is that it does not properly reflect a Supreme Court case that initially prompted this legislation. Parliament has drafted a very narrow interpretation that would exclude people with non-terminal illnesses for whom death is not reasonably foreseeable. This is seen as a serious misstep by members of the opposition, as reported in the House of Commons Hansard, as there are growing concerns that the new law will not provide adequate access to the remedy.
CMHA Ontario, as a recovery-based organization, believes recovery is possible for all with adequate access to support and resources. The narrow construct of this bill therefore serves to foster this position, as it requires very specific physical criteria and does not explicitly include mental illnesses.