I would like to thank all the witnesses very much.
Ms. Carr, you introduce the concept of social determinants, such as hardship, poverty, lack of housing and isolation. In life, everyone suffers from some kind of health problem. We don’t live in a vacuum. We may have a health issue, which is often linked to other factors or determinants. I completely agree with you. These determinants should be analyzed during a discussion with the individual.
However, what bothers me is that if we deny a person the right to access medical assistance in dying based on such determinants, we are engaging in reverse discrimination—that is, I could argue that because the person is poor, they do not have the right to medical assistance in dying.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this.
Next, in what ways are social determinants more closely linked to a mental health issue than to a physical health issue?
I would say they are more closely linked to physical health issues than to mental health issues.
I would also like to hear your thoughts on this.