Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Those courses have only just been launched. The curriculum has only been made available since the fall.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I'm not sure about that. I would still stand by the role psychiatrists can play as part of MAID and assessment. The point of being an expert and providing an expert opinion to those who may be trained to be assessors and providers.... I believe that's what's stipulated as part of the Criminal Code, and I believe that would be a role that many psychiatrists could play.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Just to clarify, are you asking me if our association is of the same opinion as the Canadian Bar Association, that we should go forward in March with MAID for mental illness?

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  It's a complex issue. Part of what we've been trying to state is that we are working towards readiness. The important thing from a Canadian Psychiatric Association point of view is that we are one part of a team of health care providers who are involved in medical assistance in dying for mental illness.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  We were asked as the CPA organization to provide some representation and contribute to the development of the standards, yes, and give feedback.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I'm happy to explain our process for both position statements and how we've undertaken member consultations. The CPA routinely publishes position papers and statements on issues related to psychiatric practice, and we have a way of proceeding with that. Through our MAID working group, we did have a number of member consultations, which have included, since 2016, member surveys.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Are you asking particularly in reference to the publishing of the position statement, which was published and then amended when Bill C-7 came through, along with our discussion paper, our two surveys and the town hall?

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Our process for the position statement would be for our professional standards and practice committee to develop something that's based on CPA policy. We did not take a position on the morality or ethics of MAID as it relates to mental illness or whether or not mental illness should be part of it.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  What we did was underscore the importance of not stigmatizing a group of people by virtue of their illness.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think it's very well known that across all Canadian psychiatrists, including within our membership at the CPA, there are people with different perspectives with respect to MAID for mental illness—

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  As a member organization, we welcome healthy debate, which continues. Part of the work we did was to develop—

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think if you're asking about 100% consensus for some sort of intervention on the issue of people with mental illness, it would not be unusual to consider that there's generally not consensus in many aspects of medicine. I'm sorry. I'm not sure if I'm answering your question.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Yes, I've had the opportunity to read them.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think those are important parts of being ready for this. Yes.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That is what I understand regarding the people who are registered for that. I can call myself one of them.