Thank you, Madam Chair.
In my previous comments, I made general reference to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. What I would add to that is that Mr. Manly's amendment clearly falls in line with the purported intent of the legislation, inasmuch as the preamble of the legislation provides that Canada, first of all, a “State Party” to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and, as the preamble states, “recognizes its obligations under it, including in respect of the right to life”.
If the bill actually does what the preamble states as the intent of the bill, then it is imperative that Mr. Manly's amendment do pass. I would note article 10 of the convention.
What is article 10 of the convention? Article 10 very simply states:
States Parties reaffirm that every human being has the inherent right to life and shall take all necessary measures to ensure its effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.
The UN special rapporteur, again, speaking directly to the issue, that is, Mr. Manly's response—