Mr. Speaker, I do not think there is any dispute—well, I should not say there is no dispute—between the hon. member and myself. It is only right that a health care professional would have the ability to say that they would not want to assist in a situation like this.
As for whether I think this would call into question the relationship between a patient and their doctor, I do not see that it would. I believe that doctors who are not prepared to assist in this way will make a recommendation to the patient that they find somebody who is prepared to do it. They know they need to get independent medical advice from more than one medical professional.
I have great respect for the medical profession. I cannot imagine the medical profession urging someone to consider an option such as medical-assisted dying if that is not something the individual, on their own, has chosen because they are in a situation of grievous suffering and they wish that for themselves. I do not see it contaminating the doctor-patient relationship.