CLF submits brief to Justice Committee
studying euthanasia expansion bill

October 31, 2020

 

On October 31, CLF submitted a detailed brief to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST), which is currently reviewing Bill C-7, the federal government’s proposed expansion of medical assistance in dying (MAiD).

Bill C-7 would remove the eligibility requirement that MAiD recipients be at the end of life, making euthanasia available to those who are not dying or near death. It would also remove several other key safeguards, including the 10-day waiting period in cases where the patient is near the end of life, the requirement for a second independent verification of requests for MAiD, and, in some cases, the requirement that a patient expressly reaffirm his or her consent to MAiD immediately prior to receiving the lethal injection. 

CLF has urged Parliament to request a constitutional reference from the Supreme Court on whether the current MAiD requirements are consistent with the Charter, and has advocated for stringent safeguards around this controversial practice.

CLF’s brief also summarizes troubling data – which has been largely obscured to date – revealing that euthanasia has been performed in Canada on patients who need, but do not have access to, palliative care and/or disability support services. CLF’s brief further highlights Canadian cases in which euthanasia has been administered in violation of applicable law, and it urges the creation of an independent review body to investigate such cases moving forward. 

CLF has also endorsed the recommendation of the Office of the Correctional Investigator seeking a moratorium of euthanasia in prisons after each case he reviewed raised “fundamental questions around consent, choice, and dignity.”

Standing with disability advocacy organizations, medical professionals, and faith leaders across Canada, CLF has been a leading voice for the rights of marginalized patients in need of support to live with dignity. CLF members drafted an open letter to Parliament, signed by over 140 lawyers, law students, and others – including the Hon. David Onley, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – defending the right to life of all Canadians. CLF’s advocacy on these critical issues will continue.

Read CLF’s Brief below:

(Below, click the “[ ]” icon in the bottom right corner to enable full screen mode [this will also enable hyperlinks].)

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