‘It’s so fragile’: committee members debate assisted dying recommendations

With the deadline for federal assisted-dying legislation now just a few months away, a special committee of MPs and senators recently unveiled their recommendations for how Ottawa should approach the controversial subject.

Committee chair and Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, along with committee member and Conservative MP Gérard Deltell joined Tom Clark in the West Block this weekend to discuss their work, and to talk about where doctor-assisted dying in Canada is heading over the next few months.

READ MORE: Right to die: Recommendations would make Canada’s assisted death among the world’s broadest

Deltell explained that while the committee has recommended broader access to assisted death than what the Supreme Court had required – specifically, that the new legislation should include provisions to allow minors and people with mental illness to access the service – not everyone on the committee agreed with that stance.

Having watched Quebec draft its own law while he sat in the National Assembly, Deltell pointed out that the province restricts doctor-assisted death to people 18 and older who are not mentally ill, and he believes that’s the right path.

“They’re in their sixth full year of hard work and studious work in Quebec, and I’ve been there, and I voted for the law,” Deltell said.

“It’s so touchy. It’s so difficult. It’s so fragile that we have to be very careful.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's so touchy. It's so difficult. It's so fragile that we have to be very careful."

Oliphant had a different view, noting that the committee recommended that it be three years before assisted death is made available to minor to allow the heathcare system to determine best practices.

“Everyone has rights in this country,” he said. “Your rights don’t begin when you’re 18 and the mentally ill people have rights. And we have to safeguard that no one preys upon them. They’re vulnerable, but that we also make sure that their rights are maintained and we don’t stigmatize them.”

The committee tried very hard to examine the issues in a non-partisan way, both MPs said, and it will now be up to the government to draft legislation in response.

“The committee worked exceptionally hard,” Oliphant said. “It was a fantastic experience, working (with the) Senate and MPs. I think we did it in a non-partisan way. We disagreed on issues, but the respect was high.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The committee worked exceptionally hard," Oliphant said. "It was a fantastic experience, working (with the) Senate and MPs. I think we did it in a non-partisan way. We disagreed on issues, but the respect was high."