The special consultations of the Committee on Citizen Relations studying Bill 11 ended on Wednesday, March 29th.
During the parliamentary recess of that day, three voices which were ignored during the public hearings spoke out about the most important points of the Quebec legislative project which would once again expand access to Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) in Quebec.
– Dr. Félix Pageau, geriatrician and author of « La responsabilité de protéger les personnes âgéesatteintes de démence » spoke about the
major problems related to MAiD by advance directive for people who have become incapable of decision-making(due to Alzheimer’s or other neurocognitive disorders).
– Ms. Louise Brissette, mother of 37 physically and/or intellectually disabled children, founder of L’œuvre des Enfants d’amour
(non-exhaustive list of the honours received) spoke about the societal impact of the expansion of MAiD for people living with a disability and their relatives.
– Mr. Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre, coordinator of our citizen network Living with Dignity, emphasized the excessive nature of the obligation to offer medical aid in dying that the bill would impose on the few Palliative Care homes in Quebec that do not do so.
You can view this press conference, which was broadcast live on our YouTube page (short version of 20 min.).
For
the full version (40 min.) with the journalists’ question period: https://youtube.com/live/Uo0tWRLARe8
Links to some items mentioned during the press conference:
– Public Hearing (Bill 11) of Jonathan Marchand on March 28, 2023 (link, in French)
– Public hearing (Bill 11) of the Alliance of palliative care homes of Quebec on March 28, 2023 (link, in French)
– CBC show The Fifth Estate from January 19, 2023, The Mess that is MAiD.
This press conference led to:
1– the broadcast of a report by Andrée Martin in the TVA Nouvelles Québec News bulletin on March 29, with various points of view, including those of Ms. Sandra Demontigny and Ms. Louise Brissette (link, in French).
2
– the publication of an article by Dominique Lelièvre in the Journal de Québec
of March 30th and via Quebecor Media’s various digital platforms (link, in French).
3– and multiple reactions received from our long-time allies or individuals discovering us for the very first time. THANK YOU!
Click on the links below to:
– Consult all the public hearings and read the briefs filed on the website of the National Assembly of Quebec, including those of Living with Dignity (with some words from Ms. Louise Brissette) and Dr. Félix Pageau.
NEW: link to our brief translated into English
https://vivredignite.org/sites/vivredignite.org/wp-content/uploads/Bill-11-Brief-from-Living-with-Dignity.pdf
– Share your comments on Bill 11
https://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/travaux-parlementaires/commentaire.html?type=Mandat&id=48991
-Invite a friend to join our citizen network by signing our manifesto:
https://vivredignite.org/about/declaration
+++
An expert committee and a potential national forum on the concept of disability was proposed last week in the Quebec National Assembly
https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/quebec-may-remove-the-notion-of-neuromotor-disability-from-medical-aid-in-dying-bill-1.6343693
We will be following closely the workof this committee. Many groups, including the Collège des médecins du Québec, are trying to broaden this
notion to provide greater access to medical assistance in dying, without
discrimination (!).
What room will be left for those voices that advocate the most restrictive
approach possible or that oppose the inclusion of disability in Bill 11?
We are disappointed to read these words:
“After the minister’s press briefing, her attaché contacted The Canadian
Press to clarify that it is only the adjective “neuromotor” that
could be removed as a result of the committee’s work.” (source, in French).
Removing disability from Bill 11 should still be considered, as we recommend in our brief.
+++
Thank you for your support expressed by your words and actions, by writing to the media and on your social networks, and by supporting us with a donation.
We will continue our close follow-up on Bill 11 with you, throughout the coming weeks!
APR
2023