Excellent. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I appreciate that information.
As I noted earlier, the speed at which Bill C-7 is being pushed through has been quite distressing, to say the least. It has left very little time for consultation with the proper groups. Medical professionals and groups advocating for vulnerable Canadians have been excluded from the consultation process, but thankfully tonight we did allow briefs to come forward. I think that's a fantastic step forward for this committee.
It has always been common practice in other nations with laws that allow euthanasia that it is treated as a last resort, not as an initial treatment option. The typical requirement in these nations is that the standard of care must be applied before it is offered. This has been a point raised by many doctors and other health care professionals across the country as they voice their concerns over how this bill puts vulnerable groups in our country at risk.
I am grateful that our colleagues in the Green Party put forward this valuable amendment that could very well save lives. The amendment proposes to change the wording of proposed paragraph 241.2(3.1)(g). This would require that those whose death is not reasonably foreseeable go through consultations with professionals who have relevant experience in the care of and services for those with a similar diagnosis or condition.
It is of the utmost importance that patients are also given this consultation by the proper professionals. These professionals must be individuals who currently provide the service or care that is applicable to what the patient's diagnosis or injury would require. The responsibility to ensure that individuals considering MAID are fully informed prior to making such an important decision ought to be paramount. When a person is in such a desperate position that they are driven to consider ending their own life, they should be afforded every available support, and this necessarily includes being informed of alternatives to MAID.
I'm sure that often when someone receives a diagnosis of a chronic issue or disability, they can feel like the world is falling—