Minister for Health Sonia Bélanger suggests that discussions with Ottawa on the issue of medical assistance in dying could postpone the entry into force of a new law governing advance requests by two years. The opposition parties in the National Assembly rather accuse him of being wait-and-see.
As the final sprint for the adoption of the new Act respecting end-of-life care began on Friday, the opposition groups questioned themselves at length about the arguments of the minister, who had indicated the day before at the microphone of the 98.5 FM that it was necessary to “harmonize with the Criminal Code” before the new provisions concerning advance requests for medical assistance in dying come into force.
“We must not wait for the federal government,” insisted the interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Marc Tanguay, when asked about it on Friday. “You shouldn’t go with the speed of the slowest. »
“This is an extremely important Quebec law. It must now be made effective,” he added, specifying that Quebec had every right to ask its prosecutors not to launch proceedings in cases where the Quebec law on end-of-care care life violated the Criminal Code.
Parti Québécois MP Joël Arseneau accuses Mr.me Bélanger to “question Quebec’s jurisdiction” in health matters. In 2014, the National Assembly adopted its first law on medical assistance in dying in contravention of the Canadian legislative framework. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the Criminal Code prohibition on providing end-of-life care was struck down.
“It is strictly within Quebec jurisdiction to implement this law because it is essentially a question of care and consent,” argued Mr. Arseneau on Friday, during a press briefing in Quebec.
Arrested twice rather than once on Friday morning, CAQ Minister Sonia Bélanger was content to say that she had “asked questions” and that she “waits [ait] some answers “. There is only one step left before the adoption of his Bill 11, to which was added at the last minute a maximum period of 24 months to receive advance requests.
“I hope that the government, which calls itself nationalist, is not in the process of making a complete shift by saying that we must submit to the decisions of the federal government in this matter which […] comes under the Civil Code”, launched Joël Arseneau.
The Member for Québec solidaire, Vincent Marissal, who had taken part in the work of the Special Commission on the evolution of the Act respecting end-of-life care, two years ago, recalled that the government had committed last year not to postpone the entry into force of the law.
“Can we, at least, for the people who are waiting for this, […] commit to making it really the maximum of maximums? he asked. “Do it as quickly as possible. »
With Marie-Michele Sioui