Thank you so much, Madam Co-Chair.
Ms. Baylis, I'd like to echo the words of my colleague Monsieur Thériault and thank you for sharing that very personal story with this committee on your husband's passing, the journey he took in exercising his wishes, and how he wanted to leave this world surrounded by the love of his life and his family.
In the document that you provided to our committee, you say, and I quote, “I strongly believe that my rights as a Canadian citizen are being violated, as I do not have the opportunity to currently preplan my end of life.” You want to see that medical and legal protocol completed so that any and all outside interference, whether they be political, religious or special interest groups, are removed, so that really it is the agency of the individual that shines through.
Ms. Baylis, in a panel we had in the first hour, we had a physician who was talking about what would happen if someone were to sign an advance directive and many years from the signing of that advance directive, their future self lost capacity but also had a change of heart. Have you ever wondered about that?
Let's say you were to sign an advance directive that was perfectly legal in Canada. Have you ever been personally concerned that you might change your mind in the future but lose the capacity to express that change of mind?