Canada's Justice Minister says that he will not change the euthanasia law before the October 2019 election.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Hon. David Lametti

Canada's new Justice Minister, David Lametti, who voted against Canada's euthanasia law because it didn't go far enough, told Tonda MacCharles from the Toronto Star that he will not push to change the euthanasia law before the next election. Lametti said:

Any changes would have to wait until the conclusion of a five-year parliamentary review about how the new regime is working.

“the parliamentary process struck “an important balance” that he respects, and a five-year review would be able to assess “data” and “evidence” about the impact the law is having.

Lametti told MacCharles that Canada's euthanasia is only the first step:

“I think the bill as it stands is an important marker, an important first step in a moral and ethical debate, as well as health-law debate, a policy debate,”

“And so the balance that was struck was appropriate in terms of that first step; I think it’s too early to do anything else.”

Clearly, Lametti is distancing himself, for now, from extending Canada's euthanasia law.

Canada's parliament will debate conscience rights for health care professionals before the election. 

David Anderson MP introduced Bill C-418 to uphold conscience rights for healthcare professionals. Conscience rights were not protected by Canada's euthanasia law.

• Canada's new Justice Minister is radically pro-euthanasia.