I would first clarify that the people with lived experience who have been missing from these hearings are those who but for the exclusion criteria would be eligible and approved for MAID. Ms. Brosseau has actually gone through two MAID assessments in order to proceed with her lawsuit, so we know that she is someone who may be considered eligible.
This is actually a note Claire gave me yesterday. It says:
I am deeply disappointed and I must admit, somewhat shocked about what is happening at the...committee. [I know that] “there are only so many hours in a day” to hear testimony but I would have thought they would want to listen to a few minutes from someone with lived experience in addition to the...people they have heard from who are opposed. I have offered to appear before the committee to provide my perspective as a person with lived experience of mental illness who is prevented from accessing MAID. We so often hear the expression “nothing about us without us” and yet they have refused to hear from any people who are harmed from the exclusion—