Six professional orders in Quebec are demanding the provincial government launch a legal challenge on the grounds of constitutionality against the federal legislation for medically assisted deaths.
The group — which is comprised of lawyers, physicians, nurses, social workers, notaries and pharmacists — issued the request on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Fighting to die — is medically assisted death criteria too vague?
“The right to die with dignity is a social issue of primary importance that calls into question the right to self-determination of a capable person and the right to human dignity guaranteed by the charters,” the group said in a statement.
The request comes as a pair of Quebecers suffering from incurable degenerative diseases are in court fighting for the right to die since they do not meet the criteria for medically assisted death.
Under federal law, a person’s natural death must be “reasonably foreseeable” before they can receive medical assistance in dying. The Quebec law similarly states people must “be at the end of life.”
A key point of contention is the requirement in the federal law that a natural death be “reasonably foreseeable” for someone to receive medical aid in dying, which critics say excludes many people with incurable suffering.
READ MORE: Quebecers want to change medically-assisted death laws
As a result, the group is urging Quebec Health Minister Danielle McCann and Justice Minister Sonia LeBel to begin the process of submitting a reference to the Quebec Court of Appeal.
It claims the current legislation needs to be changed without delay in order to protect the fundamental rights of citizens.
“The main purpose of this approach is to prevent citizens, often vulnerable people, from paying court costs in order to achieve recognition of their fundamental right to die with dignity,” it said.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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