Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to all our witnesses for being here today.
There are a multitude of opinions on this issue, but there are people of goodwill on all sides who want the best for Canadians.
Dr. Collins, it's good to see you again. I want to direct my first question to the Canadian Medical Association.
I feel the true measure of a society is how we care for the most vulnerable. As we have undertaken this study, I know I have been contacted, as have all members of this committee, about concerns for people who are at a low point in their lives, people who have just heard about a major illness and people who are the most vulnerable in our society.
One of the concerns that has been raised is that even though Bill C-14 was passed just a short time ago and we still haven't had our parliamentary review of Bill C-14, the government did not appeal the Quebec Superior Court decision last year. This bill, this response, pulls out a number of the safeguards that Parliament in its wisdom put in place a few short years ago.
You mentioned in the brief you circulated to us the importance of ensuring vulnerable Canadians are adequately protected. We know of cases that have been publicized of people who clearly have been coerced to consider MAID, who didn't raise MAID but were approached to consider it. I find that concerning.
Could you give some thoughts from the Canadian Medical Association's perspective on how we can ensure vulnerable Canadians are adequately protected?