The federal government tabled its medical aid in dying legislation on April 12. Coincidentally that was the day of my book launch in Toronto at Ben McNally’s beautiful bookstore. Ben and his wife Lynn are old friends so it was a treat to have my book launch there. My husband and children were there along with many friends and Patrick Crean, my editor at HarperCollins Canada. I’ll be posting some pictures soon. It was a busy day, beginning with technical briefings on the proposed legislation, followed by a press conference.
The government is in a tough spot as it has a very narrow window in which to introduce, debate and pass Bill C-14 in the House and the Senate before the Supreme Court deadline expires on June 6, 2016. But that doesn’t mean the government should ignore the recommendations of its own joint parliamentary committee or retreat from the parameters set out in the Supreme Court ruling in Carter in Feb. 2015.
Here’s a link to a piece I wrote in The Globe in response to Bill C-14.