Chilliwack-Hope MP Mark Strahl is encouraging people to offer feedback on the federal government’s consultation on medical assistance in dying (MAiD).
The online questionnaire is set to close on Monday, January 27.
“When medical assistance in dying was debated in the House of Commons in 2016, many constituents reached out to my office to voice their opinions on the matter,” MP Strahl said in a news release.
MAID became legal in Canada in June of 2016.
“This issue is close to the heart of a lot of people in our community. Given the brief consultation window, I don’t want people to miss this opportunity to have their voices heard,” Strahl stated.
“A significant majority” of those who contacted the local MP’s office about the subject in 2016 “were opposed to it,” he noted.
The MAiD legislation is now part of the Criminal Code and it states that a person is not guilty of a criminal offence if they provide or assist in providing medical assistance in dying following the conditions and safeguards in the law, according to Health Canada.
This topic is coming up now because on September 11, 2019, the Superior Court of Québec found that it was unconstitutional to limit access to medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to people nearing end of life.
That court ruling will take effect on March 11, 2020, unless an extension is granted.
While this ruling only applies in Québec, during the election campaign Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government would expand federal legislation to bring it in line with the court ruling, and the consultations reflect that.
To provide feedback in the consultations, go to http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cons/ad-am/index.html
READ MORE: A personal look at MAiD
READ MORE: Some opposed to MAiD in hospice
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