Thank you, Madam Chair.
This amendment was adapted from a request made by Inclusion Canada, and it was supported and sent to me by Graham Morry, the executive director of the Nanaimo Association for Community Living.
I also met with Inclusion BC and several local self-advocates who support this amendment. This amendment is a minor change to the safeguards for natural death not foreseeable. It calls to ensure that the person has been informed of the means available to relieve their suffering, including, where appropriate, counselling services, mental health and disability support services, community services and palliative care and have had consultations with the relevant professionals who provide those services or that care.
I have years of experience working with the diverse abilities community, through skills training and employment programs, with youth with barriers to employment and people with disabilities. As part of that work I connected people with all of the services that are listed above, except palliative care. I was able to make those connections and arrange appointments within a matter of weeks. Given that there is a 90-day period under the safeguard provisions for natural death not foreseeable, I believe there's plenty of time for people to seek out and receive these consultations and that this is not a barrier to people accessing MAID.
If the consultations listed specialists, then I could see how this would be a barrier because, unfortunately, it takes much longer to see a specialist in this country.
I think this is a very reasonable amendment that will give the disability community more confidence in the MAID process. It's important that this community is heard and feels heard and respected. I personally believe that there are adequate safeguards built into this legislation, but I would like the bill to be clearer for people with disabilities and the disability community, so that their concerns are heard.
Thank you.