Medical assistance in dying:
Ottawa calls for another stay
Agence QMI
The Trudeau government has asked the Superior Court of Quebec for another delay to allow the passage of its bill linking medical assistance in dying to a judgment of this court.
• To read also: The bill on medical assistance in dying adopted in the Commons
The Superior Court of Quebec, which struck down the current law's reasonably foreseeable death test,
gave Ottawa until December 18 to adjust.
However, the project in this direction, C-7, was not adopted in the House of Commons until Thursday, just before the deputies took a break until the end of January. The Senate has not completed its study of the piece of legislation and may call for amendments.
Justice and Health ministers David Lametti and Patty Hajdu therefore announced on Friday that they are asking for a stay until February 26.
"We would like to reassure the entire population that we remain determined to follow up on this important judgment of the court and that we sincerely hope that parliamentarians will ensure that the current deadline is respected," they said in a statement.
"However, given that we are only a week away from this deadline, it seems to us responsible to file a request for an extension," they added.
If this additional period is granted by the Superior Court of Quebec, it would be the third.
Justin Trudeau's Liberals hoped Bill C-7 would pass sooner in the Commons. Conservative members opposing it, however, mobilized hours of debate to take turns in the House. Speaking time was not limited, they thus postponed the vote on a bill that all the other parties
- and several elected Conservatives - supported.
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, who voted against the C-7, defended himself for instigating any obstruction,
arguing that the Liberals should have made better time for a legitimate debate.
• To read also: The bill on medical assistance in dying adopted in the Commons
The Superior Court of Quebec, which struck down the current law's reasonably foreseeable death test,
gave Ottawa until December 18 to adjust.
However, the project in this direction, C-7, was not adopted in the House of Commons until Thursday, just before the deputies took a break until the end of January. The Senate has not completed its study of the piece of legislation and may call for amendments.
Justice and Health ministers David Lametti and Patty Hajdu therefore announced on Friday that they are asking for a stay until February 26.
"We would like to reassure the entire population that we remain determined to follow up on this important judgment of the court and that we sincerely hope that parliamentarians will ensure that the current deadline is respected," they said in a statement.
"However, given that we are only a week away from this deadline, it seems to us responsible to file a request for an extension," they added.
If this additional period is granted by the Superior Court of Quebec, it would be the third.
Justin Trudeau's Liberals hoped Bill C-7 would pass sooner in the Commons. Conservative members opposing it, however, mobilized hours of debate to take turns in the House. Speaking time was not limited, they thus postponed the vote on a bill that all the other parties
- and several elected Conservatives - supported.
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, who voted against the C-7, defended himself for instigating any obstruction,
arguing that the Liberals should have made better time for a legitimate debate.