Québec has become the first Canadian province to table legislation allowing individuals to request a form of medically assisted death. The bill, called "An Act Respecting End-of-Life Care," sets out the rights of terminally ill patients to affirm "the right of everyone to end-of-life care that is appropriate to their needs."
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The legislation introduced by the Parti Québécois would allow doctors to administer lethal drugs to an exclusive group of patients who are near the end and in excruciating pain that cannot be relieved by medication.
The bill also explains the rules that doctors should follow with terminal patients and expands on how and when medical personnel can sedate patients until they die of natural causes.
If the national assembly adopts Québec's proposed legislation in the fall session, a doctor who receives the consent of a patient could administer medication to cause death. This is different from palliative sedation, which is already legal in the province. This means that patients on the cusp of death can be put into a medically induced coma, and have equipment such as feeding tubes and respirators removed.
In order to be eligible to choose the option of a medical assisted death, Québec residents need a valid provincial Medicare card.
Social Services Minister Véronique Hivon introduced the bill 52 and received a standing ovation from the fellow members of the national assembly. She said she was honored to do so and added that "this legislation is intended for people at the end of their life to die with autonomy and dignity."
"People want to live, and people want to live as long as they can. As long as their suffering is bearable, they want to live," Hivon said. "Most people want palliative care, but for the exceptional cases, we need to have an answer."
Hivon explained that the reason for going with medical aid to die and not assisted suicide is one of compassion, saying the language in the bill is to prevent leaving a terminally ill person to die alone.
The bill establishes that any person of sound mind can at any time "refuse to receive or withdraw consent to a life-sustaining treatment or procedure." The person cannot be denied end-of-life care for previously refusing to receive a treatment or procedure.
"Respect for end-of-life patients and recognition of their rights and freedoms must inspire every act performed in their regard," the bill states. "End of life patients must be treated, at all times, with the understanding, compassion, courtesy and fairness, and with respect for their dignity, autonomy, needs and safety."
If the bill is adopted, a commission will be created to oversee the application of the law as well specific requirements related to medically assisted suicide.
The Parti Québécois government urged the opposition parties to engage in a non-partisan debate on what will certainly become very controversial.
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