I will now call this meeting to order.
I would like to welcome our witnesses for this evening's session as we continue our statutory review of the provisions to the Criminal Code relating to medical assistance in dying and their application.
Tonight we have the pleasure in the first panel of having Dr. Raphael Cohen-Almagor, professor of politics at the University of Hull, as well as Mr. Pierre Deschamps, who is a lawyer and ethicist. We also have two people from Dying with Dignity Canada: the Hon. James Cowan, member of the board of directors and a former Canadian senator, and Helen Long, chief executive officer.
There are a few quick rules.
First of all, I know everyone appreciates the health measures that were put in place during the COVID‑19 pandemic. I would ask all those in the committee room to adhere to those rules.
With respect to our members and panellists this evening, there are a few small details. You may speak in the official language of your choice—English or French—and we have translation. If there are problems for you in hearing the translation, please let us know. We'll suspend and fix the problem before we get going.
Second, please don't speak until I give you the authorization to speak. If you wish to draw my attention to something, there is the “raise hand” feature on Zoom. You can use that. When you speak, please speak slowly and clearly.
The way we'll proceed is we will begin the evening with the three panellists each speaking for five minutes, and then we will follow that with a question period.
We'll get the show under way. Dr. Cohen-Almagor, if you are ready, the microphone is yours for the next five minutes.