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House Hansard - 161

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 15, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 161 - Feb/15/23
Mr. Brad Vis
  • Feb/15/23 7:17:01 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-39 
Through you, Madam Speaker, I implore the Liberal members of Parliament to stand up against their justice minister and the irresponsible decisions he is taking. Across Canada every year we celebrate Bell Let's Talk. Mental health services have expanded in hospitals, schools and universities because there is an inherent belief by all Canadians that mental health challenges are things we can overcome. Every family in this country is impacted by mental health, and it pains me to see my country considering offering death to those suffering at their lowest points. We do not need to do this. Again, through you, Madam Speaker, I implore Liberal members to challenge the justice minister on his overly broad interpretation of the Truchon decision, a ruling of the Quebec court, and to stop what he wants to do. A recent article in The Globe and Mail talked about Donna Duncan, a 63-year-old woman from my community. Her daughter successfully delayed, through the court, her mother's access to MAID because her mother suffered from a mental illness. However, just hours after leaving the hospital, Donna received a medically assisted death without her daughters being informed, even though their mother already suffered from a mental health condition that was documented. Both daughters, Alicia and Christie, testified at the medical assistance in dying committee and they made a number of recommendations. The first, which seems so sensible, is “mandatory access to health care”. The second is an increase in the required number of independent witnesses to be formally interviewed as part of the assessment, to at least three. The third is “...a pre-death assessment review. Doctors should be required to submit all assessments to an independent review board prior to a patient's death.” The fourth is “continuity of care. Multiple assessments should be completed by the same medical professional.” The fifth is “mandatory wait periods”. The sixth is “...mandatory release of records. Hospitals and health authorities should be required to release unredacted copies of their MAID assessment records to those who are entitled to them.” I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that, when Bill C-39 was tabled in Parliament, the Association of Chairs of Psychiatry in Canada called for this delay at the beginning of December. I will note as well that University of Toronto law professor Trudo Lemmens and numerous colleagues from across Canada challenged the Minister of Justice on his actions today. Again, my plea today is to the Liberal caucus, through you, Madam Speaker, to challenge the decision of the justice minister, not to irresponsibly expand MAID in one year's time for those suffering from mental health. Canadians know that mental health can be overcome. Canadians know that this does not have to be the solution. Canadians know that they want to take care of people when they need to be taken care of.
493 words
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