SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 159

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 13, 2023 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 159 - Feb/13/23
Mr. Luc Thériault (Montcalm, BQ)
  • Feb/13/23 4:37:47 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-39 
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his touching testimony. I want to tell him that, in a debate like this, it is important to be able to distinguish between various realities. This is not a debate about mental health. A debate about mental health means talking about prevention. This debate is not about all mental disorders but rather incurable mental disorders. We must accept that there are people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia which is incurable and irreversible. The suicidal state to which he refers, as he demonstrated both through his own testimony and that of other friends, is reversible. If he reads the expert panel's report, he will understand that this is not what is being discussed here and not what we will legislate. A suicidal state is reversible. No effort will be spared to provide the resources needed to reverse that state.
147 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 159 - Feb/13/23
Mr. Gérard Deltell
  • Feb/13/23 9:04:55 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-39 
Mr. Speaker, yes, for once I can agree deeply with my colleague from Winnipeg North. As I said earlier, there are hundreds of good ways to attack an opponent. Let us please not take medical assistance in dying to address a political issue. For sure, we have to be very careful. This is why, when we talk about mental illness, it is very tough to trace the line exactly on what is good and what is wrong, what is mental illness and what is incurable. This is why we have to be careful and we have to listen carefully. It is a bit too early, to say the least, to address it. Based on the Quebec experience, with 15 years of parliamentary work, two bills have been passed and it is very progressive, if we can use that adjective, in this area, where 5.3% of people die with medical assistance in dying. We have to be careful and the Quebec experience told us not to touch it right now.
170 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border