Medical Assistance in Dying committee  The data you're talking about is Canadian. Surprisingly, in Quebec, despite the fact that a report was produced four years after the Act respecting end-of-life care was adopted, no data is available on comprehensive palliative care. We know whether nurses are involved or not, bu

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Thank you for that really great question. I have a dream that comprehensive palliative care will one day be available Canada-wide, not just in Quebec, and therefore, all the professionals I just mentioned will be present. As Dr. Downar was saying, the physician can provide care

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  No, I'm not aware. I'm just speaking for Quebec. I have not studied the other provinces. Nothing is perfect anywhere in Canada, but obviously the figures we have of the number of patients dying at home show that Quebec is far worse as far as access to palliative care is concern

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Thank you.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I agree.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I would not add a word more. Thank you, Dr. Downar. I agree completely with you.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Well, she supervises me. I have to give short answers, so I'm trying to do so.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I'm going to answer in French because it's a delicate matter. Health care is a provincial jurisdiction. In other words, health care decisions are to be made by the provinces . In my opinion, Canadians should receive a minimum level of care from coast to coast. I'm talking about

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  I'd like to add something.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Good morning, Senator Mégie.

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  That's a very good question. Thank you, Senator Mégie. The Collège des médecins du Québec helped us draft the definition. It produced a document I was happy to help write, Medical Care in the Last Days of Life. In the last week of life, patients do not receive palliative care, t

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  The World Health Organisation and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association have defined “good palliative care”. All professions must be involved. There is the core team, the first step in the staircase, represented by the nurse and physician, who must be available in all

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  Actually, those patients talked to us about it many times, and they said that they felt better and relieved in the end, and they had an acceptable quality of life until the end. Three to four per cent of our patients receive medical assistance in dying. I'd like to add that thos

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  You are absolutely right. In Quebec, the proportion of all deaths by MAID is at 3.4%, and I believe that we will get to the Belgian or Swiss average, which is 4% to 5%. I agree with this, because we have to respect the will of our patients. I will be brief. If patients, as it o

Medical Assistance in Dying committee  The words “let go” don't sit well with me because 96% or 97% of our patients do not request MAID. I'm not ready to say that they “hung on.” The expression doesn't sit well with me. I think we should see the end of our life as...