Feds seeking to delay expansion of assisted dying program

The Liberal government announced it will look to delay the expansion of Canada’s assisted-dying program on Thursday.

Justice Minister David Lametti says the government has heard concerns that the health-care system might not be ready to handle those complicated cases.

The government will seek a delay in the expansion of medical assistance in dying (MAID) to include those whose only underlying conditions are mental disorders, says Lametti.

Conservative MP Michael Cooper, who sits on a joint parliamentary committee and is studying the issue, also says it is not safe to expand MAID in cases of mental illness.

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A non-profit that advocates for MAID, Dying with Dignity Canada, called the delay disappointing.

The organization’s CEO, Helen Long, says she acknowledged the federal’s concerns and its desire to “get things right,” but there has been rigorous study of how the expansion will work since 2021.

She says it’s stigmatizing, discriminatory, unconstitutional. Additionally, the organization is concerned about individuals who suffer intolerably and who have been waiting for the opportunity to be assessed for MAID.

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Cooper criticized the government for not providing details about when the legislation will be introduced or the length of the extension on Thursday.

On the other hand, Lametti says he does not want to speculate about the length of the proposed extension prior to negotiations with other parties.

Regardless of the criticism, the Conservatives say that pausing the expansion is the “only responsible course of action.”