The Justice Minister, Sean Fraser, announced on Wednesday that the federal government plans to introduce legislation this autumn to extend the prohibition on medically assisted death for individuals solely suffering from a mental illness. Fraser stated that Canada has decided against expanding the Criminal Code provisions for medical assistance in dying in cases where mental illness is the sole factor. This decision aligns with the recommendations of a parliamentary committee report released in June and the government’s own examination of the issue.
Fraser emphasized that while there may not be unanimous agreement on the matter, the government believes this is the appropriate course of action for now. The proposed legislation will also permit individuals to provide advance consent for their own medically assisted death if their illness will eventually render them incapable of making that decision. The specifics of advance consent will be deliberated in House of Commons committees, requiring the illness to be incurable and causing unbearable suffering.
More details on this legislation are expected to be revealed in the future.