Ottawa, ON – Michael Cooper, Conservative Shadow Minister for Democratic Reform, Stephen Ellis, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Rob Moore, Conservative Shadow Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Dominique Vien, Conservative Associate Shadow Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, released the following statement regarding the Liberal government’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) legislation:
“From day one, Conservatives have raised serious concerns with the Liberal government’s MAID legislation including mental illness and mature minors provisions. Their dangerously rushed approach has ignored the voices of the most vulnerable.
“The heads of psychiatry at Canada’s 17 medical schools have all raised serious concerns about this legislation. Conservatives raised alarms about this dangerous and flawed legislation from the beginning, warning that the voices of the most vulnerable have not been properly consulted.
“Today’s update from Ministers Lametti and Bennett laid out precisely no specifics and is keeping Canadians in the dark. This announcement underscores the dangerous approach that this Liberal government has taken and shows just how far they are willing to go before taking this life or death legislation seriously. They had an opportunity to address these deep concerns from the outset but instead chose to wait until the 11th hour, a day after the House of Commons has risen.
“We have already seen at least six instances of veterans improperly being offered assisted death by Veterans Affairs Canada employees to solve issues like building a disability ramp. Canadians can’t trust this Liberal government and their NDP-coalition partners to do what’s right and protect the lives of the most vulnerable.
“Conservatives will continue to defend those who are left behind by this legislation. We will stand on the side of most vulnerable and their loved ones.”
