Government to exclude people who solely suffer from mental illness from medical assistance in dying

The Liberal government says it will table legislation in the fall to indefinitely exclude people who solely suffer from mental illness from medical assistance in dying.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser said there is a lack of consensus on whether mental illness is irremediable, and concern around a lack of access to mental health supports.

The government also says that legislation will decriminalize advance requests for people who are diagnosed with a serious illness, who may lose the capacity to consent to medical assistance in dying in the future.

But it says the provinces will decide whether to provide advance requests.