Thank you very much, Madam Chair, for inviting us today to speak about the proposed amendments in Bill C-7.
I believe the proposed changes to Bill C-7 will expand freedom of choice for people who are suffering intolerably, strengthen safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals and respect individual autonomy.
Over the past four years we've heard from Canadians, from families and health care professionals, who have told us that there are critical issues with medical assistance in dying that need to be addressed. With Bill C-7 we are doing that work.
Among the feedback that Canadians gave is the mandatory 10-day reflection period. I must note that a dying person's decision to pursue medical assistance in dying is a carefully considered one. We heard that story over and over. We heard that the 10-day reflection period prolonged suffering, so we removed this requirement for people whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable.
We also heard that the requirement for two witnesses creates a barrier to access. After careful consideration, we reduced this requirement to one witness.
There is a strong public desire for consideration of advance requests, but this is a complex issue, and we believe it ought to be pursued in the context of the parliamentary review. We also believe we should address those situations where an individual nearing the end of life has requested and has been declared eligible for MAID but finds themself worrying about the time of their medical assistance in dying procedure. They could be worried because they don't know whether they'll lose capacity before their procedure, if they choose a date that would extend their life.
The majority of practitioners consulted on this issue are in favour of permitting a waiver of final consent in these limited situations.
I know there is a concern that these changes go beyond what is required to respond to the Truchon ruling.
Let us remember that the Truchon decision in effect created the need for a two-stream system of access to MAID: one for individuals who are suffering grievously but whose death is not imminent; and the other for those whose death is reasonably foreseeable and who have been eligible since 2016. It is essential that we set a higher bar, in terms of safeguards, for the first group while providing some modest relief from barriers to access for the second. That is what we are doing in Bill C-7.
The proposed amendments in Bill C-7 are informed by our health care system's experience in delivering MAID and reflect the opinions and perspectives shared by Canadians and a wide range of stakeholders.
They represent a balanced and compassionate approach, with respect for personal autonomy while ensuring that adequate safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable individuals. They also reflect the many hundreds of thousands of voices that took the time to consult with the government.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.