Quebec is going ahead with its plan to authorize early requests for medical assistance in dying, despite concerns raised by the federal government. Starting Oct. 30, the province will begin accepting requests for assisted dying, known as MAID, before a person's condition, such as Alzheimer's, renders them incapable of giving consent.
Health officials held a briefing for journalists early Thursday to outline how applications will be considered, and pointed to new online guidelines for patients and physicians . Dr. Stéphane Bergeron, an assistant deputy health minister, said during the briefing that patients who could potentially be eligible will need to meet with doctors on multiple occasions to understand how it would work and when it would apply.
"It's something that will take a bit of time before this goes ahead," Bergeron said. Ottawa says to 'wait' The federal government has repeatedly expressed concern about Quebec moving forward with advanced consent before it modifies the Criminal Code. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland told La Presse on Wednesday that Quebec should "wait" before going ahead.
In a follow-up statement to CBC News on Thursday, his office said the federal government "is taking the necessary time to examine the details of what the government of Quebec has announced." "We are committed to working with Quebec — and all provinces and territories — to carefully consider next steps," the statement said. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland says Quebec .