Physician-Assisted Dying Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2016

[Dr. Douglas Grant]

I think I followed most of the questions there.

All would agree that it's an open question. Clearly the tidiest mechanism to close the question is for legislation to define what “assistance” means. The inconsistency among the colleges was generated by the colleges all independently waiting for federal direction, trying to figure out how best to interpret Carter without specific direction, and quite frankly, without terribly clear legal authority. I think it remains entirely available for the colleges to come up with a harmonized approach that would follow the lead of whatever legislation is directed.

I'll repeat, I worry terribly about two things: that legislation will intrude on the nature of the patient-doctor relationship, and that, again—I say this with sadness—we have to confront, as a profession, the manner by which we dealt with access to abortion and contraception when it was established as a legal right.

[The Joint Chair (Mr. Robert Oliphant), Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Thank you, Dr. Grant.

Thank you to all our witnesses. It has been a long evening, and you have added much that has been very helpful to our debate and our discussion.

Just before we close, I remind you that the committee will be meeting tomorrow night at five o'clock, but watch your inbox, because the votes in the House of Commons are going to be at three now. They have been moved and we have taken that break for the vote. We're seeing if we can move the witnesses up, but we're not sure if we're able to move the witnesses without being rude, etc., so we may have half a meeting and break for dinner and then have a second meeting, or we may have them all combined if we can.

Again, thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.