Thank you for the question.
The idea is to protect physicians so that they do not find themselves in ambiguous situations. I think Dr. Johnston explained the awkwardness of the matter. Since the subject is very delicate, we are concerned. If we do not have explicit immunity in the bill for a physician who counsels a patient about assistance in dying, we have to consider this in a broader way. Counselling someone who wants to commit suicide when one is not a recognized practitioner or licensed professional is something else. Our concern is about the interpretation that could be given to the fact of “counselling someone” or the scope that could be given to that.
Obviously, the relationship between physicians and patients is very close and confidential. Doctors have to be able to provide information freely to patients about all of the options that are open to them. We have to avoid placing physicians who counsel their patients in ambiguous situations. That is why we are proposing an amendment to protect physicians and other qualified professionals.