Liberals reintroduce same bill,
expected to pass
PHOTO NINON PEDNAULT, ARCHIVES THE PRESS
To respect the Truchon ruling, the Trudeau government has until December 18 to pass the new bill.
To respect the Truchon ruling, the Trudeau government has until December 18 to pass the new bill.
(Ottawa) About two months before the deadline, the Trudeau government is resubmitting its bill to expand physician-assisted dying in response to the Quebec Superior Court ruling.
Mélanie Marquis
La Presse
La Presse
Federal Justice Minister David Lametti tabled Bill C-7 in the House on Monday, the provisions of which are identical to those contained in the bill introduced in the last legislative session - also C-7 - in February 2020, he confirmed at a press conference.
Ottawa has until December 18 to adopt its bill in reaction to the Truchon judgment rendered in September 2019 by the Superior Court of Quebec, where Justice Christine Baudouin ruled, among other things, that the criterion of "reasonably foreseeable death"
provided for in the federal law was unconstitutional.
The Liberals had called for two delays in court - the first citing the fall 2019 election campaign, and the second due to the pandemic. Then, the August prorogation killed C-7 on the order paper without it being able to be debated or studied in committee.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for all Canadians. This includes the interruption of the legislative process to revise the proposed changes to the Canadian law on medical assistance in dying, ”argued Minister Lametti.
If passed, the bill will create two categories: one for patients whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable and a second for those whose natural death is not, but with new safeguards to take these into account. changes.
The New Democrats and the Bloc in Ottawa welcomed Bill C-7 in February.
The two parties reiterated Monday to La Presse their intention to support it.
In the Conservative benches, the deputies are more divided; former leader Andrew Scheer was also the only leader to say during the campaign that he would appeal the Truchon decision if he were to come to power.
At the office of new Conservative leader Erin O'Toole, it was reported Monday that C-7 will be "carefully considered", and that the vote of elected officials will be free, the leader having pledged "to allow free votes on questions of conscience during his leadership race ”.
Minister Lametti has high hopes that parliamentarians will endorse C-7 and that it will be approved by the December 18 deadline.
Ottawa has until December 18 to adopt its bill in reaction to the Truchon judgment rendered in September 2019 by the Superior Court of Quebec, where Justice Christine Baudouin ruled, among other things, that the criterion of "reasonably foreseeable death"
provided for in the federal law was unconstitutional.
The Liberals had called for two delays in court - the first citing the fall 2019 election campaign, and the second due to the pandemic. Then, the August prorogation killed C-7 on the order paper without it being able to be debated or studied in committee.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for all Canadians. This includes the interruption of the legislative process to revise the proposed changes to the Canadian law on medical assistance in dying, ”argued Minister Lametti.
If passed, the bill will create two categories: one for patients whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable and a second for those whose natural death is not, but with new safeguards to take these into account. changes.
The New Democrats and the Bloc in Ottawa welcomed Bill C-7 in February.
The two parties reiterated Monday to La Presse their intention to support it.
In the Conservative benches, the deputies are more divided; former leader Andrew Scheer was also the only leader to say during the campaign that he would appeal the Truchon decision if he were to come to power.
At the office of new Conservative leader Erin O'Toole, it was reported Monday that C-7 will be "carefully considered", and that the vote of elected officials will be free, the leader having pledged "to allow free votes on questions of conscience during his leadership race ”.
Minister Lametti has high hopes that parliamentarians will endorse C-7 and that it will be approved by the December 18 deadline.
During the pandemic
On 1 st October, six requests for individual exemption for medical help to die were granted pursuant to the judgment of the Superior Court of Quebec. The Attorney General of Canada has yet to appear or take a position in these cases, the federal justice minister's office was told.
A "number of requests are also awaiting a decision, and" the Attorney General of Canada will assess its position
on future requests on a case-by-case basis, "it said.
On 1 st October, six requests for individual exemption for medical help to die were granted pursuant to the judgment of the Superior Court of Quebec. The Attorney General of Canada has yet to appear or take a position in these cases, the federal justice minister's office was told.
A "number of requests are also awaiting a decision, and" the Attorney General of Canada will assess its position
on future requests on a case-by-case basis, "it said.