Thanks very much, Madam Minister.
I want to do something now that the Westminster parliaments don't often allow for, which is for opposition members to acknowledge the work of the government minister.
I first ran across requests for medical assistance in dying at the height of the AIDS crisis, when an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence because we didn't have treatment at the time. The minister knows I've been dogging her for a long time on getting better access to testing and treatment for HIV. I want to acknowledge the approval yesterday of the first HIV self-test kits, which will help us down the road toward eradicating HIV. I know that doesn't happen often, but I wanted to take a moment to do that.
When it comes to Bill C-7, I do want to say the same thing that many others have said. There is real suffering going on in the system for those who face terminal illness. It's suffering by the patient and also by their families. I'm very happy to see Bill C-7 come forward at this time to try to address especially the cases of those who have already been assessed and approved for medical assistance in dying and fear losing capacity. We've had famous cases and we've had, in my own riding, personal cases when I've had friends who have had to go early for fear of loss of capacity. I think this bill is important.
My question this morning to Minister Lametti is about the other issues and the statutory review. It's very important that we deal with the very complex question of advance directives. I believe it's also very important that we thoroughly the examine the question of mental illness and those who are suffering from mental illness, and the question of mature minors, which were all mandated in the statutory review.
As the minister knows, I would like to add to that statutory review the question of whether there are adequate safeguards when it comes to other vulnerable populations and people with disabilities.
My question is very simple. I've been after the minister for months on this. I would like to see us starting the larger statutory review at the same time that we're examining Bill C-7 so that we have a place for those concerns to be fully aired and fully studied in public.
Mr. Minister, when will we see a mandate for the statutory review and when will we see a proposal to get it under way?