Lametti ‘interested’ in assisted-dying issues

SHERBROOKE, QUE. • Newly appointed Justice Minister David Lametti says he’s interested in hearing proposals aimed at ensuring grievously ill Canadians aren’t forced to end their lives prematurely rather than risk losing the mental capacity required to receive medical assistance to die.

Lametti, who was named to the Justice portfolio on Monday, won’t promise to change Canada’s law on assisted dying.

But he’s open to hearing what Dying with Dignity Canada suggests so other Canadians won’t suffer the same fate as Audrey Parker, the Halifax woman who last fall made a very public plea for changes to the law.

Parker had terminal breast cancer. She had been approved for a medically assisted death but, because the cancer had spread to her brain, she feared she could lose the ability to give her consent again immediately prior to receiving the service, as required by the law. Consequently, she ended her life, with medical help, sooner than she wanted.

Shanaaz Gokool, president of Dying with Dignity Canada, has said there are many other Canadians in the same position as Parker. Some cut out pain medication to avoid losing mental capacity; others wait too long and wind up being denied assisted death, even though they’d previously qualified.

Her organization plans to start a campaign next month, pressuring the government to amend the law so that people who’ve been approved for assisted death can sign a declaration ensuring they’ll still receive the service if they lose mental competence before it is carried out.

“I’m interested,” Lametti said outside his first cabinet meeting, when asked about Dying with Dignity’s idea. “I’m interested in watching what happens and what is proposed but I won’t commit the government to doing anything more than that.”