Madam Speaker, I am going to offer four clarifications and then ask the member a question.
The first clarification is that, with respect to the conscience rights and whether they exist, they do exist in three places and I outlined them already: in the preamble, in subsection 241.2(9) of what was then C-14 and in the Carter jurisprudence. I think that is important, because this member is urging us to return to Supreme Court jurisprudence.
The second is about withdrawal of consent. Can it be done? Yes it can, through non-verbal means. That is entrenched in this bill.
The third is that the notion that people can die “all in one day”, and I am quoting the member opposite, is actually patently inaccurate in terms of the empirical evidence. There are two independent medical practitioners, completely divorced from the people who verify the identity of an individual, who determine the eligibility. Those people take some time to do so. It does not happen “all in one day.”
Finally, the issue about the independent witness going from one to two is simply to reduce one of the barriers.
If the concern is for ensuring that the autonomy and dignity of all individuals are entrenched here, does the member opposite agree that when the court, in Carter and in the Truchon decision, talks about ensuring that intolerable suffering is no longer continued, and that the dignity of those people who are making a personal choice about how they choose to exit this life should that be respected in the context of this legislation?