The federal government has initiated the promised review of its restrictive new law on medically assisted dying to determine if it should be expanded to include Canadians suffering strictly from mental illnesses and some others.

The Medical Assistance In Dying Statute includes a series of amendments to several pieces of legislation, including the Coroner's Act, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, to provide more clarity on the issue for patients, families, doctors and other health-care providers.