Proposed changes to medical assistance in dying (MAiD) include eliminating the requirement that a person’s death must be reasonably foreseeable for a legal assisted suicide in Canada, but the federal government will not open up the procedure to the mentally ill at this time.
“Medical assistance in dying is a deeply personal issue that touches real people and real families. Canadians have shown us during the consultations just how important this issue is to them,” Justice Minister David Lametti said on Feb. 24 as Ottawa introduced the proposed changes to Canada’s assisted suicide law.
“The proposed amendments aim to reduce suffering, while also supporting individual autonomy and freedom of choice.”