Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the parliamentary secretary for her speech.
She talks about proper choice, but also safeguards. I would suggest that having available palliative care as a safeguard does reflect a person's ability to make a choice.
During the original bill, I had the opportunity as well to consult with some of the top palliative care experts in Canada, some would say in the world. One is in my own riding. Her name is Dr. Gillian Gilchrist. She has been a palliative care expert since 1981. One of the things she mentioned to me was that, in all her years of practice, she had never had one patient ask for medical assistance in dying. She said that if people are given proper medication, especially with the newer medications today, they can be kept very comfortable until the very end of their lives.
We have heard a lot of arguments that we should be making this more available because of the pain involved. Does the member agree that proper palliative care being available is important for choice? With 70% of Canadians not having palliative care available, is it something the government should make a priority?