Quebec court grants Ottawa third extension to deal with revamped assisted-dying law

A Quebec judge has granted the federal government another delay in bringing medical assistance in dying legislation in line with a ruling from the province’s Superior Court.

This time around, Ottawa asked for — and received — until Feb. 26, a deadline that gives Parliament just over two more months to pass legislation that would expand access to doctor-assisted death in Quebec and the rest of Canada.

The move comes as the government’s representative in the Senate, Sen. Marc Gold, conceded Thursday the upper house won’t finish its consideration of Bill C-7 until mid-February — long past the previous courtimposed deadline that was set to expire Friday.

Senators wrapped up opening debate on the bill Thursday, but it must now be scrutinized by the Senate’s legal and constitutional affairs committee before being sent back to the chamber for final debate and possible amendments.

In a statement, Gold said he had hoped the Senate could finish dealing with the bill before the previous deadline.

“Because the Senate received the bill so late in the calendar, fast-tracking Bill C-7 through all stages by December 18 would have required the unanimous consent of all senators,” he said.

“But given the significance of this legislation, senators have expressed a legitimate desire to fulfil their constitutional role of sober second thought.”

The bill is intended to bring the law into compliance with a September 2019 court ruling. Quebec Superior Court Justice Christine Baudouin struck down a provision in the law that allows medically assisted death only for those whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable.