441-01542 (Justice)

Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. Our Government is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice.

For this reason, we tabled former Bill C-39, to extend the temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID for persons suffering solely from a serious mental disorder. Former Bill C-39 was passed in Parliament on March 9, 2023, and as a result, persons suffering solely from a serious mental disorder and who meet all other eligibility criteria will now be eligible for MAID in Canada as of March 17, 2024. This extension will allow additional time to complete and disseminate key resources currently under development for clinicians and other health care system partners to address these more complex MAID requests. The extension will also provide more time to consider the parliamentary Special Joint Committee on MAID’s interim and final reports.

On March 27, 2023 the Government released the Model Practice Standard for MAID to provide clear guidance to clinicians and health professional regulators to help protect those who may be vulnerable, including those whose sole underlying medical condition is a serious mental disorder., and to ensure safety. 

Our Government will continue to work with all partners to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations in this deeply personal issue is prioritized.

Bill C-314 will follow the legislative process, and will be studied and debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members’ Bills.

Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a complex and deeply personal matter that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. The Government of Canada believes that Canadians deserve to live in comfort and dignity, with access to care, including end-of-life care, that is appropriate to their needs and that respects their wishes. It also recognizes that MAID is a deeply personal choice and is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, support their autonomy and freedom of choice, and protect those who are vulnerable.

Supporting the mental health and well-being of everyone in Canada is a priority for the Government of Canada.

On February 7, 2023, the federal government announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by close to $200 billion over 10 years. The Government of Canada intends to work collaboratively with provinces and territories on four shared health priorities to improve integrated health care for Canadians:

• Expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
• Supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
• Improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and
• Modernizing health systems with standardized health data and digital tools.

These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.

As part of the investments, the Government of Canada announced that it would provide $25 billion over ten years to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible and tailored, so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. As there is no health without mental health, an integrated, inclusive approach to investments in health service teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools will help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.

This builds on the government’s previous investment of $5 billion over ten years to improve Canadians’ access to mental health and substance use services. The investment is being provided directly to provinces and territories via negotiated bilateral agreements to help them expand access to community-based mental health and addiction services.

Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and Black and other racialized Canadians. The government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.

The Government of Canada also recognizes the importance for all Canadians to have access to critical suicide prevention services.

Budget 2023 provides $158.4 million over three years to support the launch and implementation of 9-8-8, a three-digit number for suicide prevention and emotional distress. This funding will help ensure that 9-8-8 has the quality and capacity to meet the demand, connecting people to effective crisis support when they need it most. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), with the support of PHAC, will lead the coordination of 9-8-8 service delivery, building on its experience delivering Talk Suicide Canada. This 9-8-8 funding includes the reallocation of $5 million per year in funding for the pan-Canadian suicide prevention service (Talk Suicide Canada), originally announced in Budget 2019.  Talk Suicide Canada currently provides suicide crisis support in English and French to people across Canada over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week and by text in the evenings.

The Government of Canada is also leading the development of the National Suicide Prevention Action Plan aimed at reducing suicide rates and improving mental well-being based on best practices and innovations in suicide prevention and life promotion.

Private Member’s Bill C-314 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.