Jane Philpott is a medical doctor and former member of Parliament. From 2015 to 2019, she served as federal minister of health, minister of Indigenous services and president of the Treasury Board. Jody Wilson-Raybould is the independent member of Parliament for the British Columbia riding of Vancouver Granville, former minister of justice and attorney general of Canada.
Last fall, the Superior Court of Quebec ruled that it is unconstitutional to limit access to MAID to people nearing the end of life. The federal government decided not to appeal this ruling and has indicated a plan to expand eligibility for MAID beyond people who are near the end of life.
As the Ministers of Justice and Health in 2016, we faced a court-imposed deadline, and the consultation process was rapid but robust. The parliamentary course included a special joint committee of senators and members of Parliament. There was debate in committees and on the floors of both the House of Commons and the Senate. Canadians expressed a range of opinions and government received a large volume of helpful and thoughtful feedback. Some were upset that a law was tabled at all.