MONTREAL — Quebec on Monday walked back a plan to offer medical aid in dying to those suffering severe, incurable mental illness and will now consult widely before making a final decision on the controversial issue. Health Minister Danielle McCann made the announcement in Montreal at the opening of a one-day forum on changes to the province’s medical aid in dying law. Hivon, who started the legislative process for medical aid in dying years ago while the PQ was in office, has said a fragile social consensus has been built on the highly controversial issue and going too fast with severely mentally ill patients would put that at risk. Jean-Pierre Menard, the lawyer who argued on behalf of Gladu and Truchon, also said extending consultation was the right decision. “But we shouldn’t use the consultation to evade the issue.”This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan 27, 2020.

Source: National Post January 27, 2020 14:15 UTC