Thanks, Madam Chair. I think I was in the midst of speaking to this particular amendment when the last meeting ended.
I think for all of us this is an opportunity to provide some clarity—clarity grounded in witness testimony. Some of the testimony I've been receiving on this bill has been around a phrase that was really under Bill C-14 and is now under Bill C-7, and it's so important. That's the phrase “reasonably foreseeable”. There is no definition of reasonably foreseeable.
I heard argument on this particular amendment, BQ-3, that somehow it could possibly be less certainty. I think it's just the opposite. It's abundantly clear that just the opposite would be true. By we as parliamentarians putting in this amount of “12 months”, we have....
It's paramount to this bill, because it involves which track someone who is seeking medical assistance in dying will be going on. We say in Bill C-7 that if your death is reasonably foreseeable, then there are certain safeguards in place—fewer safeguards than were there under Bill C-14. Under Bill C-14 there were the safeguards that there had to be two independent witnesses and a 10-day reflection period. Other safeguards that in fact were in Bill C-14 are taken out in Bill C-7.
If your death is not reasonably foreseeable, then you're on another track. Those of us who have studied this bill know this. The whole bill turns on reasonable foreseeability. In my readings on this, and from speaking with physicians and hearing and reading briefs from physicians and from those in the disability community, as well as hearing of some cases where I think the definition of reasonably foreseeable has been stretched to its absolute maximum of someone's imagination, I think it is incumbent upon us to provide some degree of certainty over what we mean, as a Parliament, as legislators, when we say reasonably foreseeable.
This particular amendment talks about the “prognosis of 12 months or less” remaining. I think this makes abundant sense. I want to thank the member for bringing it forward.
You know, there are people who are watching, of course, the committee deliberations. I haven't made it a secret that I think there should have been more time to hear witness testimony. I really think, if we're honest with ourselves about what we heard around the table, what we heard from members of the disability community, it was an eye-opener for everybody. Whether we're willing to admit that or not, I think it was an eye-opener. I would like to have explored some of these issues further with them.
We were presented with the perspective that somehow in the physician community there is overwhelming support for this bill, but then, as we studied it, we realized, no, that's not the case. I mean, every one of us, as committee members, received a letter signed by 800 or 900 physicians. That's a huge number. Someone said, well, that's not as many as there are in all of Canada. Of course not; but if 900 physicians sign a letter, then I, as a member of Parliament, am going to take notice of that.
Based on the feedback that I've seen, I really think we're doing our job by being a bit more certain in what we mean. I mean, “reasonable foreseeability”—that kind of language is wide open. To the best extent possible, we should give certainty in our laws.
If you're travelling down the highway and you see a sign that says, "Your speed is reasonable”, what does that mean? Does that mean 70? Does it mean 90? Does it mean 130 kilometres an hour? I know for me, it might mean something different than it means for you. “Be reasonable.”
“Well officer, I was being reasonable.”
“No, you weren't being reasonable.”
Who decides what's reasonably foreseeable?
I'm in New Brunswick and I recognize we're a big country. We had a big discussion this morning on how big the country is and how it covers many time zones. In New Brunswick, on most highways, it doesn't say, “Be reasonable”. It says 110 kilometres an hour. I know if I'm over that, I'm speeding. If I'm at 110 or under, I'm not speeding. I think that makes sense. I also think it makes sense for us to define in some way what reasonable foreseeability means. That's why I'd like to speak in favour of BQ-3.
Thank you.