Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
In response to the question from Mr. Lewis, he knows full well that I have argued very strongly that all of these issues need to be aired before a special committee of the House in the statutory review, and in no way have I suggested that these issues should not be discussed further.
That, of course, is quite a different issue from the one I was referring to, and perhaps in my remarks I should have included not to constrain “lawful” conversations. In the advice that we heard from department officials, what they have said is that this amendment does not change the law in this case. It simply clarifies that having lawful conversations between medical professionals and patients is allowed, whether or not they have initially raised the question of medical assistance in dying.
Again, the chill that we're placing here on the relationship between patients and those who provide their care is what I'm trying to address, and I'm trying to make sure that relationship is not damaged inadvertently by a misunderstanding of what a lawful conversation is.
Thank you.