We believe it needs to be amended now, before it is passed, to make clear protection of conscience for both doctors and medical personnel, and also institutions that provide extended care on whose premises someone may request assisted death, should a law pass.
Again, as I said in my comments, the minister did clarify that nothing in the bill says the doctor will be obliged to. However, you look at the “whereas” statements, it's clear that they're creating a regime around Bill C-14 that will deem medically assisted death as medically necessary. Once you create that paradigm, then, in a sense, you're taking what I don't think Carter established: a right to access. It was an exemption from the application of the Criminal Code. If you begin interpreting and framing it as a right to access, then there's an obligation to provide.
The clear example would be the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, which already requires an effective referral under the current regime while the bill is being suspended for the next four months.
We think it needs to be placed. We think there needs to be a statement in the “whereas” section, clarifying that no one will be compelled to participate contrary to their conscience or beliefs. We think there could be—and you've heard this before—a parallel paragraph inserted in Bill C-14 along the lines of section 3.1 in the Civil Marriage Act to protect it. Also, there have been some proposals—and I know they've been submitted to this committee—that clarify and define Criminal Code provisions against coercion.