Canada: the government wants to exclude mental illness as the only reason for euthanasia

Canadian Justice Minister Sean Fraser said Wednesday that the government will introduce legislation this fall to exclude mental illness as the sole reason for euthanasia, several months after a parliamentary committee made a similar recommendation.

Mr. Fraser clarified that he did not foresee new restrictions on Canadian legislation on euthanasia, which established one of the most permissive systems in the world regarding assisted dying. He also said the bill would also include provisions for advance requests from people seeking euthanasia in case they lose the capacity to make that decision in the future, for example in cases of dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

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The government will amend the Canadian Penal Code to ensure that doctors who meet established criteria for euthanasia are not criminally prosecuted. Mr. Fraser clarified that Canada would only authorize euthanasia in provinces that legislate on the matter for people “suffering from incurable illnesses and undergoing intolerable suffering” and where rigorous guarantees are in place.