The liberal government wants to delay Canada’s expansionmedical help in dyingwhich would include people whose only underlying condition is mental disorders.

Federal Attorney General David Lametti said Thursday at a news conference in Ottawa that the government has heard from experts who are concerned the health system may not be ready to handle these complex cases.

“Some provinces, territories and those working in the health system [nous] say that more time is needed,” explained Minister Lametti.

“This includes taking the time to implement these standards of practice and to complement and disseminate important resources that are being developed for healthcare professionals and other health system partners to meet these growing demands,” he said.

An update to Canada’s Medical Assisted Dying Act, passed in Spring 2021, included a provision temporarily excluding individuals “whose only medical condition is mental illness” even if they meet all other criteria for eligibility for medical assisted dying. This exclusion was due to expire two years later – next March.

A panel of experts studying the issue has heard concerns from medical professionals, researchers and academics questioning whether the adequate safeguards have now been put in place to expand eligibility criteria without putting people at risk of having mental illness or live in poverty.

Minister Bennett optimistic

Mental Health Secretary Carolyn Bennett, who also attended Thursday’s press conference, said the panel found the protections in place under the current regime to be “excellent”.

“I think there’s a very clear consensus that it would be very rare and that the rating [des candidats] would be conducted over a long period of time with a number of different assessments,” she said.

Minister Lametti said that any case of medical assistance when dying from mental illness would be followed by a long treatment period. He insisted the federal government has spent millions of dollars to improve mental health care.

“I want to reassure Canadians that we cannot […] Ask for medical help to die on a good morning when you’re feeling depressed,” he said.

The justice minister added that the chair of the panel of experts, Dr. Mona Gupta, is among those who believe health workers in Canada are ready to handle this expansion of medical assistance in dying. However, he acknowledged that not everyone is ready and he has heard from those who “want a little delay”.

In order to delay the end of the exclusion beyond March 2023, the minority Liberal government must change the current law. Lametti said Thursday he expected the measure to garner broad support from other parties in the House of Commons and among senators.

The government did not provide any information on the length of the desired extension. The House of Commons and Senate adjourned until January 30 for the holiday break.

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