The Liberal government’s assisted-dying bill is inching closer to becoming a law – but without a Senate recommendation to broaden the parameters of who qualifies
The Liberal government’s doctor-assisted-dying bill is inching closer to becoming law – but it doesn’t include a recommendation from the Senate to broaden the parameters of who qualifies, according to a CBC News report.
Bill C-14 was sent back to the Red Chamber for further consideration after MPs voted 190 to 108 in favour of it, according to CBC News.
The bill would allow only patients who are near death or whose death is “reasonably foreseeable” to qualify for medically assisted dying. The Senate proposed that the law allow anyone with a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” to qualify “after the condition has begun to cause enduring suffering that is intolerable to the person.”
But Liberals rejected the Senate’s recommendation to expand who qualifies for assisted death, calling such an expansion “ill-advised.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the decision at a news conference in British Columbia.
“We respect the Senate’s perspective … but we do not want to affect the fundamental balance that we achieved in this piece of legislation between protecting vulnerable Canadians and allowing for rights and freedoms,” he said.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said that the government would accept other amendments recommended by the Senate, including ones on palliative care, regulations about death certificates and a requirement that issues arising from medically assisted dying be reported back to Parliament within two years, CBC News reported.
Related Links:
Should right to die extend to criminals?
Dementia patients refused advance right-to-die directives
Bill C-14 was sent back to the Red Chamber for further consideration after MPs voted 190 to 108 in favour of it, according to CBC News.
The bill would allow only patients who are near death or whose death is “reasonably foreseeable” to qualify for medically assisted dying. The Senate proposed that the law allow anyone with a “grievous and irremediable medical condition” to qualify “after the condition has begun to cause enduring suffering that is intolerable to the person.”
But Liberals rejected the Senate’s recommendation to expand who qualifies for assisted death, calling such an expansion “ill-advised.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the decision at a news conference in British Columbia.
“We respect the Senate’s perspective … but we do not want to affect the fundamental balance that we achieved in this piece of legislation between protecting vulnerable Canadians and allowing for rights and freedoms,” he said.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said that the government would accept other amendments recommended by the Senate, including ones on palliative care, regulations about death certificates and a requirement that issues arising from medically assisted dying be reported back to Parliament within two years, CBC News reported.
Related Links:
Should right to die extend to criminals?
Dementia patients refused advance right-to-die directives
