This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.
Summary
This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.
This enactment amends An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying) to provide that persons are not eligible, until March 17, 2027, to receive medical assistance in dying if their sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness.
Elsewhere
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-62s:
C-62 (2017)Law
An Act to amend the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act and other Acts
This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below.
Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bill C-62 proposes to extend the exclusion of mental illness as a condition for medical assistance in dying (MAID) by three years, until March 17, 2027, to allow provinces and territories additional time to prepare their healthcare systems and implement necessary safeguards. This extension is intended to ensure the safe and consistent application of MAID for individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, while also requiring a parliamentary review before the exclusion expires. The bill responds to concerns about the healthcare system's readiness and the complexities of assessing MAID requests based on mental illness.
Liberal
Three year extension needed: The Liberal Party supports extending the temporary mental illness exclusion for MAID eligibility by three years, until March 17, 2027. This extension is necessary to ensure the health care system is prepared to safely provide MAID in cases where it is requested on mental illness grounds.
Provinces and territories not ready: While the federal government is responsible for the criminal law aspects of MAID, the provinces and territories are responsible for implementation within their healthcare systems. The provinces and territories have expressed that they are not yet ready for the expansion of MAID eligibility on the basis of mental illness alone.
Progress in MAID resources: The government has taken steps to support the implementation of MAID, including amending regulations for monitoring MAID, developing a model MAID practice standard, and supporting the creation of a Canadian MAID curriculum. These resources aim to ensure a standardized and safe approach to MAID assessments and provisions.
Focus on Indigenous consultation: Recognizing the need for engagement with Indigenous communities, the government has launched a two-year engagement process to hear the perspectives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. This consultation aims to inform the implementation of MAID and ensure culturally safe practices.
Conservative
Opposes MAID expansion: The Conservative party is against expanding MAID to include those with mental illness as the sole underlying condition. They argue MAID was originally intended for those with incurable physical illnesses causing intolerable pain and where death was reasonably foreseeable, and that the expansion is a dangerous slippery slope.
Government failed to consult: Conservatives believe the Liberal government failed to properly consult with Canadians and experts on the MAID expansion. Members feel that the provinces and territories have voiced concerns, stating they are not ready for the expansion.
Lack of adequate support: The Conservative party emphasizes that MAID is being considered by individuals due to a lack of adequate mental health support, palliative care, and disability support. The party highlights instances where MAID was offered instead of providing necessary resources, indicating a systemic failure.
Irremediability determination is difficult: Conservatives argue that it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine the irremediability of a mental disorder in individual cases. Referencing expert testimony, they state that people can recover from long periods of mental illness with appropriate treatment, and that expanding MAID may lead to unnecessary deaths.
NDP
Fails to protect vulnerable: Angus believes that the failure to put guardrails in place to protect vulnerable people is a major issue with MAID. He emphasizes the importance of getting MAID right for the benefit of all, considering the rights of both the individual and their loved ones.
Believes Senate overreached: Angus criticizes the Senate's push for an arbitrary date to extend MAID to individuals suffering from mental illness and depression. He views this as an outrageous and poorly thought-out overreach, arguing that Parliament should have rejected it.
Need for mental health support: Angus underscores the urgent need to address the mental health crisis and provide adequate support for those suffering from mental illness. He argues that resources should be directed towards mental health services rather than solely focusing on facilitating access to MAID for individuals with depression.
Bill is a gutless punt: Angus criticizes the current bill as a temporary fix that will simply delay the issue for three years. He says it fails to address the fundamental failures and arrogance that led to the current situation.
Bloc
Supports advance requests: The Bloc supports allowing advance requests for MAID, particularly for those with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as Quebec law allows. The Bloc is critical of the Liberal government, Conservatives, and NDP for opposing amendments to the Criminal Code that would align with Quebec's law.
Criticizes government delay: The Bloc criticizes the Liberal government's decision to delay debate on MAID for three years, accusing them of aligning with the Conservatives and NDP to avoid addressing the issue. They believe this delay prevents necessary changes to the Criminal Code and disregards Quebec's efforts to legislate advance requests.
Minister's ignorance: The Bloc is critical of the Minister of Health, saying that the minister demonstrated unfamiliarity with the Quebec law on advance requests. The member felt that the federal government was using the excuse that not all Canadians are ready as a reason to ignore Quebec's progress.
