Liberals will delay change to assisted dying rules

The federal government is expected to introduce a law as early as Thursday to delay the extension of medically assisted dying eligibility to people whose sole condition is a mental disorder.

Justice Minister David Lametti announced in December that Ottawa intended to seek the delay after hearing concerns the health-care system might not be prepared for an expanded regime.

The government gave notice to the House of Commons on Tuesday that a bill on medical assistance in dying was on the way, which means that a bill can be tabled on Thursday at the earliest.

An update to assisted dying law that passed in 2021 created a two-year clock that delayed the extension of eligibility to those whose sole condition is a mental disorder. The clock runs out in midMarch.

The Liberal government had not originally planned for the law to extend assisted dying eligibility to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder.

But it approved a Senate amendment to do so, after senators argued excluding people with mental illness would conflict with their right to equal treatment under the law.

Some of the Liberals’ political opponents are saying that delaying the change is proof that it was a bad idea in the first place.

Conservatives have argued that offering assisted dying to people with mental illness could lead to preventable deaths, since unlike with physical ailments, it is more difficult for health-care professionals to tell when a problem is past the point of treatment.

Conservative MP Michael Cooper said Wednesday that the government’s decision to seek a delay underscores its “reckless approach” to expanding the regime. He suggested it be scrapped entirely.