Thank you.
I guess it's concerning for me as a committee member to realize that, especially when many times during these consultations we have heard the phrase, “Carter is a floor, not a ceiling”, you as a pediatric society are recommending that we not go beyond Carter. I think that's very informative.
My last question is for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
You indicated that you provide care for up to 30,000 patients who are dealing with various mental health challenges. You also indicated that it's difficult to say conclusively whether or not these conditions may or may not be irremediable. You commented on chronic and episodic features of mental illness, and even talked about how schizophrenia could in some cases be overcome to the extent that it may not be cured but that there are strong coping mechanisms.
I was so encouraged to hear you say in your testimony that you focus on hope, because I think that one of the conditions of what this committee is charged with is providing that hope. Part of providing that hope, in my opinion, is being sure that we are not opening the door for those who may be vulnerable, especially those with mental health challenges.
Because of the episodic nature and the potential for changing minds, and so on, can you assure us that we can put adequate safeguards in place to be sure that even 1% of that 30,000 is not allowed to end their life prematurely, unintentionally, because of an episodic issue with depression?
We were informed earlier by some of our witnesses that the concept of safeguards might actually be an illusion. I just wonder if you could comment as to whether or not we can be sure, as committee members, that we can, in fact, put adequate safeguards in place.