Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)
Status
Defeated, as of Oct. 5, 2022 (This bill did not become law.)
Summary
This is from the published bill.
This enactment amends the Criminal Code to make it an offence to intimidate a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, pharmacist or other health care professional for the purpose of compelling them to take part, directly or indirectly, in the provision of medical assistance in dying. It also makes it an offence to dismiss from employment or to refuse to employ a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, pharmacist or other health care professional for the reason only that they refuse to take part, directly or indirectly, in the provision of medical assistance in dying.
This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below.
Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bill C-230 aims to amend the Criminal Code to protect the conscience rights of medical professionals regarding medical assistance in dying (MAID). The bill proposes to make it a criminal offense to intimidate or coerce a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, or other health care professional to participate directly or indirectly in providing MAID, and to make it an offense to dismiss or refuse to employ a health care professional for refusing to participate in MAID. It intends to ensure that medical professionals are not forced to violate their conscience or religious beliefs regarding participation in MAID.
Conservative
Protect conscience rights: The party aims to add two new offences to the Criminal Code: intimidation of medical practitioners to compel participation in MAID, and dismissal/refusal to employ based solely on their refusal to participate in MAID.
Protect doctor-patient relationship: The party also believes that without conscience rights, doctors may be forced to recommend courses of action that they feel are not in the best interests of their patients.
Address MAID expansion: Members express concern over reports that MAID is being increasingly normalized.
NDP
Oppose bill C-230: The NDP opposes the bill because it would allow healthcare providers to deny patients information about legal medical services, such as MAID, based on personal beliefs. They believe this infringes on a patient's right to access necessary health services and that healthcare professionals are already protected via their ability to opt out of services they object to on moral or religious grounds.
Focus on patient rights: NDP members emphasized the importance of upholding patients' rights to access information and make informed decisions about their healthcare, particularly regarding end-of-life care. They believe healthcare providers have a professional obligation to provide referrals for services they are unwilling or unable to provide themselves.
Dangerous precedent: The NDP is concerned that the bill would set a dangerous precedent for denying referrals for other medical services, such as contraception and abortion, and could negatively impact access to healthcare for vulnerable populations, including women, transgender minors, and those in rural and remote communities.
Conservative division tactic: The NDP views the bill as a divisive tactic by the Conservative Party, aimed at scoring political points and creating unnecessary fear and division in the community. They highlight other urgent issues that could have been addressed through private member's bills, such as immigration delays, family reunification, and the drug poisoning crisis.
Bloc
Oppose Bill C-230: The Bloc Québécois opposes Bill C-230, arguing that existing legislation already protects health care workers' freedom of conscience and that the bill's true intention is to obstruct access to medical assistance in dying (MAID). They believe the bill would force vulnerable, dying patients to take additional steps to access MAID, which should not be their burden.
Already protected: The Bloc argues that health care workers are already protected by existing laws, including subsection 241.2(9) of the Criminal Code and Quebec's Act respecting end-of-life care. These laws allow health care workers to refuse to participate in MAID, but also require them to refer patients to another physician willing to provide the service.
Quebec's leadership: The Bloc points to Quebec's legislation and studies on end-of-life care as a model for addressing the issue, emphasizing the importance of a non-partisan approach focused on human dignity and freedom of choice. They criticize the federal government for ignoring the work already done in Quebec and for attempting to restrict access to MAID.
Continuum of care: The Bloc emphasizes the importance of a continuum of care that includes palliative care and MAID, and that a request for assisted death should be viewed as a success in accompanying an individual towards death, not a failure.
Liberal
Opposes Bill C-230: The Liberal party opposes Bill C-230, arguing that the proposed Criminal Code amendments are unnecessary to protect the right to freedom of conscience and religion for healthcare professionals in the context of medical assistance in dying (MAID).
Existing laws sufficient: The party believes that existing Criminal Code offences, such as those related to intimidation and extortion, already provide sufficient protection for healthcare professionals who do not wish to participate in MAID and that the proposed intimidation offence largely duplicates these existing protections.
Jurisdictional concerns: The Liberals raise concerns that the proposed employment sanctions offence may encroach on provincial and territorial jurisdiction over employment-related matters, suggesting that regulation at the provincial level may be more appropriate.
No evidence of coercion: The party expresses a lack of evidence suggesting that healthcare professionals are being coerced or intimidated to provide MAID, questioning the need to create a new criminal offence to protect one healthcare professional's freedom of conscience but not another's.
