Preventing Coercion of Persons Not Seeking Medical Assistance in Dying Act
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying — protection against coercion)
Summary
- Creates a new Criminal Code offence for federal or provincial government officers and employees, other than medical practitioners or registered nurses (including nurse practitioners), who initiate a discussion about medical assistance in dying (MAID) with someone who has not requested it.
- Applies when the employee is in a position of trust or authority toward the person and knows the person did not specifically ask for the MAID discussion.
- The offence is punishable on summary conviction, adding a legal deterrent against unsolicited MAID suggestions by non-clinical government staff.
- Intends to prevent perceived coercion and to keep MAID counseling within clinical contexts under existing professional standards.
Builder Assessment
Principles Analysis
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Canada should aim to be the world's most prosperous country.
The bill focuses on assisted dying discussions and does not materially affect national prosperity.
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Promote economic freedom, ambition, and breaking from bureaucratic inertia (reduce red tape).
It adds a new criminal prohibition governing staff communications, increasing compliance, training needs, and legal exposure rather than reducing red tape.
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Drive national productivity and global competitiveness, including removing interprovincial trade barriers and improving labour mobility (one country, one market).
No direct effect on productivity, trade, or competitiveness.
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Grow exports of Canadian products and resources, and move up the value chain by processing resources domestically rather than exporting them raw.
No linkage to export activity.
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Encourage investment, innovation, and resource development.
No bearing on investment or innovation ecosystems.
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Deliver better public services at lower cost (government efficiency).
Criminalizing certain staff communications could increase training, compliance, and legal risk costs and may chill service delivery, reducing efficiency.
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Reform taxes to incentivize work, risk-taking, and innovation.
No tax measures are involved.
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Focus on large-scale prosperity, not incrementalism.
A narrow criminal law change on MAID discussions does not address large-scale prosperity.
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Email [email protected]
PartyMember of Parliament
StatusAt second reading in the House of Commons
Last updatedN/A
TopicsCriminal Justice, Healthcare, Social Issues
Parliament45