I think it can play a data-collection role. It is very important to have national information so you can see what's going on, track your system, and make modifications as you need to if there are any concerns that arise. We need national data on that.
I think it also can commission research. As we've seen in the Netherlands, every five years they do a broader review of end-of-life decision-making. It's not just assisted dying. It's critically important to do that. The commission could commission that.
Also, if we have access problems, you could have that commission be responsible for developing a network of providers to do education. Support of health care providers is going to be essential here, as is a network, so that we can actually enhance access. That way, it can also play the role of quality assurance with regard to the regulatory system itself. I would also say that if you don't have participation from the provinces, the regional review committee would be run by the oversight commission so that you would have oversight of specific cases, a retrospective case review, happening as well.
I'll make a quick comment, if I may, on the issue of the provincial and federal jurisdiction around this issue, because it's tricky. One way of avoiding court challenges to this is if the federal government puts out the commission, establishes it as an arm's-length commission, and all levels of government can use the mechanism of administrative interdelegation and give those oversight powers to that body. Then everybody agrees that the body does that, so nobody can go in and say the feds did it on their own and so it's ultra vires over here, or the other way around.
You don't have time now, and we haven't seen the inclination to do this collaboration in advance. We'd hoped for it, but it's not there. However, you could get there by putting the commission in your federal legislation and talking with the provinces and territories, suggesting to do it this way, through administrative interdelegation. It's a technique that's used for cooperative federalism.