Visual: Elections Canada
The Living with Dignity Citizen Network is apolitical, but is closely following the current Federal Election campaign in Canada.
To help you make your choice in the September 20, 2021 vote, here are the contents of the various parties’ platforms addressing issues related to palliative care and medical assistance in dying (MAiD).
We urge you to discuss these issues with your local candidates.
LIBERAL PARTY
https://liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/292/2021/09/Platform-Forward-For-Everyone.pdf
Page 4: We committed to doing more for mental health services… for home care…
Page 12: Invested an additional $6 billion in home care and community care, as well
as palliative care services
Page 14: A Comprehensive Plan for Mental Health Care across Canada
Establish a new federal transfer to provinces and territories—the Canada Mental Health
Transfer—to assist jurisdictions to expand the delivery of high quality,
accessible and free mental health services.
• Commit to permanent, ongoing funding for mental health services
under the Canada Mental Health Transfer, with an initial investment of $4.5 billion over 5 years.
• Undertake a comprehensive review of access to the Disability Tax Credit, CPP-Disability and other federal benefits and programs to ensure they are available to people experiencing mental health challenges.
• Fully fund a national, three-digit mental health crisis and
suicide prevention hotline.
Safer, Better Long-term Care
Page 15: …we will work with provinces and territories, respecting their jurisdiction, to support seniors with an investment of $9 billion over 5 years
Page 77: We have passed legislation on medical assistance in dying
CONSERVATIVE PARTY
https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/07090434/5ea53c19b2e3597.pdf
Page 33:
Canada’s Conservatives will introduce the Canada Mental Health Action Plan that will:
• Propose to the provinces that they partner with us by dedicating a
significant portion of the stable, predictable health funding to mental health to ensure that an additional million Canadians can receive mental health treatment every year;
• Encourage employers to add mental health coverage to their
employee benefit plans by offering a tax credit for 25% of the cost of additional mental health coverage for the first three years;
• Create a pilot program to provide $150 million over three years in
grants to non-profits and charities delivering mental health and wellness programming; and
• Create a nationwide three-digit suicide prevention hotline.
Page 34
Supporting Canadians Who Are Suffering
Canada’s Conservatives believe that the Government of Canada should have appealed the Quebec Superior Court decision on Medical Assistance in Dying.
When it comes to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), Conservatives will:
• Reinstate the ten-day waiting period to make sure somebody does
not make this decision at their lowest point.
• Restore the requirement for two fully independent witnesses to
ensure that a vulnerable person is not being forced or coerced.
• Require that any discussion of MAiD only occur if raised by the
patient and prevent healthcare workers from suggesting it to someone who is not seeking it. Canadians living with disabilities report regularly being in situations where MAiD is suggested to or pushed on them and report how this undermines their sense of security in healthcare environments.
• Repealing the Bill C-7 provision allowing MAiD for those with
mental health challenges. Require any patient receiving MAiD to be
informed/reminded immediately before receiving it and given the opportunity to withdraw consent.
Page 34: We will also invest in palliative care. To help Canada become a place where all Canadians who suffer are offered relief, we will double the direct federal investments in palliative care.
Page 74:
Conscience Protection: We will protect the
conscience rights of healthcare professionals.
NOTE: The PC leader Erin O’Toole has changed his mind on this measure.
No direct mention of MA and palliative care.
Better access to quality home care and long-term care.
Our parents and grandparents built this country. As they age, they deserve to live in comfort and safety. People with disabilities, who may have no independent living options, are often living in long term care homes or other settings with many people and caregivers.
BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS
https://www.blocquebecois.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/blocqc-Plateforme-2021.pdf
(Platform information available in French only. However a courtesy translation of the salient points has been provided below)
Page
4: Without the Bloc, Bill C-10 on broadcasting would have been an empty shell and would not have been passed, the law on medical assistance in dying would not have been amended
Page 7: The collaboration of the Bloc allowed the adoption of the necessary reform of medical assistance in dying.
Health Care Transfers
Page 9: The federal government will have to increase health transfers, without conditions, to cover 35% of health care costs, as Quebec and the provinces are unanimously demanding. The Bloc also intends to support home care through a tax credit.
GREEN PARTY
https://www.greenparty.ca/sites/default/files/platform_2021_en_web_-_20210907.pdf
No direct mention of MAiD and palliative care.
Long-Term Care Reform
Page 49: The Green Party of Canada believes that every person living in a long-term care facility in Canada deserves to be provided with excellent care, regardless of their financial situation, and to have the necessary conditions for a high-quality and dignified life.
The Green government will:
Page 53: Establish a national mental health strategy and a suicide prevention strategy
Page 56: Fully fund the National Dementia Strategy
PEOPLE’S PARTY OF CANADA:
https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/health-care
No direct mention of MAiD and palliative care.
Focus on changes to federal transfers for health care.
SEP
2021