Canada to indefinitely bar mental illness as sole reason for access to euthanasia
Canada’s government says it will advance legislation to keep the existing exclusion in place; debate over eligibility and access to care continues.
TL;DR
- The Canadian government said it would move to make indefinite the exclusion for people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.
- The current exclusion is due to expire in March, and the policy remains contested among lawmakers and advocates.
- The report also describes debate over advance requests; provinces would decide whether to provide for them.
Canada’s justice minister said the government would advance legislation to indefinitely bar people whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness from medical assistance in dying. The existing pause is due to be lifted in March, and the issue has divided lawmakers. [The Guardian; BBC.] [1] [2]
The Guardian reports that advocates for expansion argue the current rules restrict constitutional rights and access to health care, while the government says the bill reflects its chosen approach. The same report says the government is also considering decriminalizing advance requests, with provinces deciding whether to permit them. [The Guardian; BBC.] [1] [2]
Why it matters
The proposal would settle a live eligibility question in Canadian law while leaving room for continued legal and provincial debate. The reports describe a government plan, not enacted legislation.
Editor's note
Based on contemporaneous reporting; the government’s proposed bill had not yet become law in the cited reports. Not medical or legal advice.