Poilievre would not expand Canada's medical assistance in dying law, but will maintain right

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he would not expand eligibility for medical assistance in dying, but pledged that Canadians would continue to have access to that right, should his party form the next government. Poilievre made the statement during a campaign stop in his Ottawa-area riding on Saturday. “People will continue to have the right to make that choice, the choice for themselves. We are not proposing to expand medical assistance in dying beyond the existing parameters,” he told reporters. “That said, we believe that we also need better health care so that people have all sorts of options.” Medical assistance in dying has been legal in Canada since 2016, following a landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision that struck down previous Criminal Code provisions that made it a crime for a physician to assist someone in ending their own life, saying it violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. When it became legal, someone’s natural death had to be determined to be “reasonably foreseeable” in order to be eligible. That rule was challenged in a Quebec court, which found it to be unconstitutional. The Liberal government accepted the court’s finding and introduced an updated law, removing the requirement. Expanded eligibility for medical assistance in dying took effect in 2021. The updated law was met with swift backlash from disability advocate groups, warning removing the provision could lead to an increase in deaths from individuals living with disabilities due to a lack of access to other supports. Federal data also shows an increase in individuals seeking assisted death since it became legal. Krista Carr, CEO of Inclusion Canada, said in an interview Saturday that while she welcomes Poilievre’s commitment not to expand assisted dying any further, she hopes he means that Canadians who are terminally ill would continue to have access, not those whose deaths are not deemed “reasonably foreseeable.” She wants all federal parties, including the Conservatives, which Carr noted fought against widening access when the bill was before Parliament, to change the law to return the eligibility criteria to require that someone be determined to be close to death to qualify for an assisted death. The current law is “very discriminatory” towards the disabilities community, she said. “It’s a situation for people with disabilities where intolerable suffering for them is caused by poverty and lack of opportunities and lack of disability supports and lack of housing options … not the disability itself,” she told National Post. In a statement, Liberal campaign spokeswoman said Yana Titarenko said assisted-dying is a “deeply personal choice.” “We remain committed to safeguarding the most vulnerable in our society and working closely with provinces and territories on this matter. Our approach will always prioritize compassion, dignity, and the necessary supports for those in need.” According to the Conservative Party of Canada’s policy handbook, last discussed by members at its 2023 convention in Quebec City, the party opposes assisted dying “in principle,” including for individuals who are “not terminally ill” and when their death is “not reasonably foreseeable.” Poilievre, who as party leader is not bound to adopt members’ policies, appeared to strike a different tone on Saturday. The most controversial part of the 2021 law was how it proposed opening the door to assisted dying for those seeking it solely on the basis of mental illness. The change had been initially scheduled to take effect in March 2023, but was delayed until March 2024. Several months before the expansion was set to happen, the Liberals announced another delay, this time pushing it back until March 2027, saying doctors and provinces needed more time to prepare. That followed vocal criticism from psychiatrists and others about the difficulty of determining whether someone living with severe mental illness could improve and whether an individual’s suffering was related to factors such as poverty and a lack of other social supports. The federal Conservatives were the staunchest critics of the proposed expansion, which Poilievre has previously vowed he would not do . Dying With Dignity Canada, an organization that advocates for end-of-life care and access to assisted-dying, has said there remains strong public support for Ottawa to expand eligibility to allow individuals with neurocognitive diseases, like dementia and Alzheimer’s, to make advanced requests. “As parties look for issues that resonate widely with voters, they should listen to the countless Canadian who have been asking for access to advance request,” Helen Long, the organization’s CEO, said in a statement. Long added she was “dismayed” those seeking an assisted-death solely on the basis of mental illness would continue to be excluded.  Earlier in the week, Poilievre confirmed that a Conservative government would not pass any law restricting abortion. While he has said he is “pro-choice,” many social Conservatives call the party home, making abortion and other issues like assisted-dying the subjects of debate within the party. Poilievre campaigned Saturday near where Carney hopes to win a seat in the House of Commons, in the riding of Nepean. Barbara Bal, a former reservist in the Royal Canadian Artillery, who is the Conservative candidate hoping to flip the Liberal seat blue, introduced Poilievre on Saturday. The leader announced that, if elected, Conservatives would increase supports for veterans, including by approving disability applications if they are not processed within 16 weeks, handing over control of their medical records as well as making an education and training benefit immediately available to members upon leaving the service. “What I hear from veterans is they want services for themselves and their families. They want direct services, not more bureaucracy,” Poilievre said. “I have not encountered a single veteran that says that he needs more bureaucracy … what they need is to have immediate benefits day one of their departure.” Poilievre on Saturday also said Carney has been “hiding” from the campaign. Carney said on Thursday evening he was suspending his campaign in order to return to Ottawa to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war with Ottawa. Carney did not make an announcement on Saturday, with the party only releasing a press release promising that if re-elected, the Liberals would make entry into national galleries and museums free for children under 18 from June to August, as well as reduce prices for national parks. Leaders are set to begin preparing for next week’s English and French-language debates in Montreal on April 16 and 17. 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