Neutrality of death panel questioned

A Toronto doctor who once likened assisted dying to Nazi genocide has been put in charge of a federally mandated process to determine whether Canadians should be able to make advance requests for medical help to end their lives.

The appointment of Harvey Schipper to chair a working group of experts who will examine the issue is raising doubts about the impartiality of the process and the federal government’s commitment to seriously consider expanding its restrictive law on assisted dying.

Advance requests was one of three major issues left unresolved last year when the government passed legislation that restricted medical assistance in dying to those who are already near death.

As part of the legislation, the government promised to conduct independent reviews to determine whether the legislation should eventually be expanded to include advance requests, mature minors and those suffering strictly from mental illnesses.

In December, the government engaged the Council of Canadian Academies to conduct the reviews of the three issues and report back to Parliament by late 2018; the council this week announced the creation of a 43-member expert panel on assisted dying, chaired by former Supreme Court of Canada justice Marie Deschamps.

Schipper has been a strident opponent of assisted dying.