Canada has paused plans to move forward with approving euthanasia for those with mental illness as a single underlying condition, the country’s Justice Minister announced on Wednesday, October 7.
“Canada has made a decision not to move forward with the expansion that is scheduled in the Criminal Code of medical assistance in dying in circumstances where mental illness is the sole basis,” said Justice Minister Sean Fraser in the foyer of the House of Commons.
“While there is not a perfect consensus on this issue, we believe this is the correct approach at this particular time,” he added. Fraser said there were concerns about “people who live in communities with inadequate access to mental health services” as well as a lack of consensus on whether mental illness could be deemed incurable.
