Canada seeks to delay euthanasia access for mentally ill

Key Facts

Image source, Reuters Image caption, Canada's Justice Minister David Lametti said the government wanted to be "prudent" in its expansion of medically assisted dying for people with mental illness Canada is seeking to delay the expansion of medically assisted dying for people with mental illness by one year.
The proposed one-year extension gives the government more time to prepare for the change in the law and to consider a final report, due this month, from a parliamentary committee reviewing the Medical Assistance in Dying law, the justice department said.
The delay for people whose sole medical condition is a mental illness will provide sufficient time to ensure the health care system protects those who may be vulnerable and will support freedom of choice, he said.
The Maid programme has faced criticism in recent years, including from some psychiatrists who asked for a delay over concerns the health care system is not ready to handle requests for assisted dying from people with mental disorders, as it is difficult to predict who can recover from a mental illness.