Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada

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Infographic: Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada - Text version

Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada

Proposed changes to legislation

On October 5, 2020, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada reintroduced a bill, which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s provisions on medical assistance in dying (MAID). The proposed changes follow extensive consultations with Canadians, experts, practitioners, stakeholders, Indigenous groups, provinces and territories, and an online questionnaire that received over 300,000 responses.

This Bill would amend the Criminal Code to allow MAID for eligible persons who wish to pursue a medically assisted death, whether their natural death is reasonably foreseeable or not. The proposed changes will reduce unnecessary suffering in Canada. They will also support greater autonomy and freedom of choice for eligible persons, and provide safeguards to protect those who may be vulnerable.

CURRENT LEGISLATION
PASSED IN 2016		 PROPOSED CHANGES TO LEGISLATION
INTRODUCED ON OCTOBER 5, 2020
REQUEST FOR MAID REQUEST FOR MAID
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
  • HAVE A GRIEVOUS AND IRREMEDIABLE MEDICAL CONDITION
  • NATURAL DEATH MUST BE REASONABLY FORESEEABLE
 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
  • HAVE A GRIEVOUS AND IRREMEDIABLE MEDICAL CONDITION
  • "REASONABLE FORESEEABILITY OF NATURAL DEATH" CRITERION REPEALED
  • ELIGIBILITY FOR PERSONS SUFFERING SOLELY FROM MENTAL ILLNESS IS EXCLUDED
SAFEGUARDS
FOR ALL ELIGIBLE PERSONS 		EXISTING & EASED
SAFEGUARDS FOR ELIGIBLE PERSONS WHOSE DEATH IS REASONABLY FORESEEABLE 		NEW & STRENGTHENED SAFEGUARDS
FOR ELIGIBLE PERSONS WHOSE DEATH IS NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE
FINAL CONSENT TO BE PROVIDED BEFORE ADMINISTRATION OF MAID FINAL CONSENT OR POSSIBLE WAIVER OF FINAL CONSENT
FOR ELIGIBLE PERSONS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES 		FINAL CONSENT TO BE PROVIDED BEFORE ADMINISTRATION OF MAID

Medical Assistance in Dying

To support health care practitioners and sustain pan-Canadian cooperation on the implementation of medical assistance in dying, including the changes to the regime proposed in this Bill, the Government of Canada will work with provinces and territories, health care practitioners and regulatory bodies on best practices, clinical guidance, training, monitoring and reporting.

For more detailed information, please consult the Medical Assistance in Dying webpage on justice.gc.ca