Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Okay. It all really depends on the progression of the disease. Ms. Vien asked why I felt ill at ease, and that's why. What's involved is determining the appropriate moment ahead of time, without altogether understanding the course of the disease. There are various possible scena

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I don't think they are mutually exclusive. If we want the debate on extending medical assistance in dying to include advanced directives, it's altogether possible that we would see people choosing that option while fully aware that they've made that decision because they don't wa

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Who's that question for?

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Thank you for that question, which is very interesting. I have a lot to tell you, but I'll try to summarize my comments. I've extensively studied the advance medical directives regime, and, as you know, very few people have had access to it. We're talking about slightly more th

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  There are the measures, and there's the dialogue. I think that has to be preserved.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Absolutely. There has to be follow-up. There has to be a way to transmit information. I also think it should be done continuously, as the condition evolves, not just one final time.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think it could be determined by the professional associations. Certain aspects would also have to be determined: if this becomes a protected act, is it a paid act, and how does that have to be organized? This is a bit beyond my field of expertise, but I think this is a really g

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I think that could be done depending on how the condition progresses. It could be every five years or a little less than that if the condition evolves very quickly. There may not be any absolute rule, but, yes, it could definitely be done at least every five years. I think it wo

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Deviations necessarily occur. It's more that I see a lot of major problems in our advance medical directives system these days. People are left to their own devices. Patients are told that it's easy, that all they have to do is sign, and it's assumed that they're informed. I thi

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  There are actually various categories of professionals. As Ms. Chalifoux said, they may be people who've been trained in various health fields and have received some accreditation, although I really think that should become a kind of health care standard. These people have receiv

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Thank you very much. I'm grateful for that. This will allow me to explain my final point and round out my remarks. If we, as a society, choose to expand access to medical assistance in dying, we must not downplay the impact that could have on the more social aspect of the autono

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  The more I examine the issue, the less certain I actually am. It's my occupation, so…

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Actually, it's not that I'm uncomfortable with advance requests; I'm more uncomfortable if there isn't an appropriate mechanism. The fact remains that an advance decision isn't made on the spot; it's a decision that people make, as best they can, in advance of a situation, based

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Is my time already up, Madam Chair?

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I had something else to add. May I finish what I was saying?