The Canadian Bar Association has voted to maintain its support for allowing people to seek a medically assisted death solely on the grounds of a mental disorder.
The asociation's members met virtually on Thursday for their annual general meeting to debate a series of resolutions, including one aimed ending the group's support for the change.
A committee of senators and members of Parliament recently recommended that the government wait on its controversial expansion of access to medical assistance in dying.
The committee heard warnings from representatives of the bar association who said the government would open itself up to future legal challenges as a result.
The expansion was set to take effect in March, but the Liberal government has tabled legislation to delay it by another three years — well after the next general election.
Critics say nothing in law compels Canada to move ahead, while proponents say people with mental illness should have the same rights as those with debilitating physical conditions.
The resolution itself called on the association to withdraw previous statements of support, and instead urge Ottawa to wait "until there is a reliable manner to determine whether the psychiatric conditions are irremediable."
Various organizations representing disability rights have reservations about the expansion and expressed support for the resolution, but it ultimately went down to defeat.
Senators and MPs have cited outstanding questions about how best to determine a mental condition is irremediable, and how to distinguish it from temporary thoughts of suicide.
Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says if his party forms the next government he will axe the planned expansion. It is pressing the Liberals to do the same, but say they still plan to support the three-year delay.
The federal New Democrats also say a pause is needed and that before an expansion is considered, more money and effort needs to flow to improving Canadians' access to mental health supports.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8. 2024
Foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections won by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, a federal commission of inquiry has found.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake was reported west of Vancouver Island Thursday evening.
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
The Supreme Court is ordering a new trial for a francophone man in British Columbia who says he was not informed of his right to have a trial in the official language of his choice.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Foreign meddling attempts didn't change who won the last two federal elections in Canada but they may have changed the result in one riding in 2021, a public inquiry concluded Friday.
B.C.'s new short-term rental rules officially came into effect this week and advocates say the new restrictions could have unintended impacts for those getting an organ transplant.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is responding to criticism over Toronto‘s efforts to decriminalize drugs in the wake of the opioid crisis, saying it misses a much more urgent need.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says universities have to be trusted to manage their campuses as pro-Palestinian student protesters set up encampments at several institutions across Canada.
If you thought this past April felt especially rainy in Toronto, you’re not wrong. Environment Canada says 135.5 millimetres of rain, mixed with snow, fell at Pearson International Airport last month, which beats the previous record of 133.8 mm set in April of 1992.
An Okotoks resident has been charged in relation to a shooting Wednesday at a residence in Sheep River Court.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) says all of the uninspected halal meat found at several Calgary businesses has been destroyed and the affected facilities are cleared to open.
As wedding dress styles change through the decades, one Calgary shop has remained a constant option for local brides for more than half a century.
Two registered nurses from Ottawa and Kingston have been an integral part in the delivery of a baby on board a flight heading to Dubai.
The Ottawa Police Service is asking the public for help in identifying a suspect allegedly involved with a sexual assault that happened at a home on Albert Street two months ago.
The mayor of North Grenville, just south of Ottawa, says hybrid work has been a boon to her community, and a recent move by the federal government to force public servants back to downtown Ottawa office buildings is misguided.
A Quebec judge overseeing the trial of a person accused of killing a cyclist with their car has raised concerns that an amendment to the province's language charter could cause 'undue delays' for trials held in English.
Eight years ago, Lauren McGowan found out she had Celiac disease. As a baker, the Montrealer says the diagnosis didn't just change her life personally -- but also professionally.
A former worker at a COVID-19 vaccination centre pleaded guilty after he made $150,000 from helping hundreds of Quebecers obtain fake vaccination passports during the height of the pandemic.
The Edmonton Police Service will give an update on a historical homicide on Friday morning.
A woman was killed after being hit by a truck on Highway 642 Thursday evening on Alexander First Nation.
Light wind, some sun and a warming trend for the Edmonton area today and Saturday.
Nova Scotia's premier is drawing criticism from the opposition over a recent trip to Spain that his office didn't announce publicly.
Halifax city councillor Pam Lovelace has announced she is running for mayor.
Maritime motorists are paying less at the pumps after gas prices dropped Friday morning.
A judge has decided the trial of a man accused of killing four women in Winnipeg will still be heard by a jury.
The long-standing Starbucks in Osborne Village is set to close its doors next week – it comes one day after a man was attacked next door.
The Kinew government announced two, multi-million-dollar housing projects targeting Manitobans experiencing gender-based violence and homelessness.
Saskatchewan motorists won’t be getting an immediate 15 cent per litre break at the pumps as an NDP motion to cut the provincial gas tax was voted down by the Sask. Party on Thursday.
Saskatchewan Roughriders past and present along with many friends, family and fans from around the CFL will gather in Regina Friday afternoon to remember the late Jim Hopson.
The North Central Family Centre (NCFC) has launched a capital campaign to help aid in the completion of a major project they are in the midst of building.
More than 100 teachers at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) are learning they have been declared surplus will likely be out of a job as of Aug. 12.
Thick grey smoke billowed over Elmira Friday morning as first responders raced to the scene of a large farm fire on Allemang Place.
A New Hamburg family is feeling deflated after buying a new Toyota hybrid truck.
A lesser known fixture of Saskatoon's skyline is coming down for repairs and renovations.
Richelieu Hardware Canada Ltd. was fined a hefty $260,000 for a workplace safety violation leading to a serious worker injury.
A Saskatchewan family won the bovine lottery after their cow gave birth to a rare set of quadruplets.
A New Hamburg family is feeling deflated after buying a new Toyota hybrid truck.
Three men from southern Ontario and a man from Texas have been fined a total of $16,700 for illegal hunting and fishing in September 2021.
An intoxicated man wearing only his underwear and a lifejacket had to be pulled from the Thessalon River early Wednesday evening.
A two-vehicle crash involving a transport truck and a passenger vehicle closed Dundas Street, just west of Thamesford, late Thursday afternoon.
Around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, first responders were called to the scene near the intersection of Pigram Road and Salford Road in South-West Oxford Township.
Despite a recent clean-up around the former St. Pierre Renovation Centre, concern persists about trespassing and the risk of fire at the former industrial building.
Police are investigating a failed home invasion involving two armed suspects in the area of Bathurst Street and Mulock Drive in Newmarket.
On Thursday night, 30 firefighters battled a destructive fire that broke out in a facility in Bracebridge Ont.
Barrie's photo radar cameras will relocate to new community safety zones this month to curb speeding on neighbourhood roads.
Essex County OPP investigators are asking for help in identifying an individual involved in a shooting incident in a Leamington parking lot.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
A joint traffic initiative in a construction zone on Highway 401 resulted in dozens of charges.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
A family claims it’s concerned for their loved one in a Nanaimo-based long-term care facility as they work with staff and Island Health to resolve some of their complaints.
The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel for Canada's Pacific fleet will officially be commissioned in a ceremony featuring Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
The bell at Erle Rivers High School in Milk River, Alta., will ring for the last time on June 26, as the 114-year-old school is scheduled to be torn down to make way for a new K-12 school.
Years of hard work paid off for Tanner McLachlan after he heard his name called at the NFL draft last Saturday.
Volunteers with ‘The Watch’ program in Lethbridge have been patrolling the city centre rain or shine for five years.
The Chi-Cheemaun ferry arrived at Manitoulin Island on Friday morning to kick off its 50th season on the Georgian Bay.
Phase 1 of the reconstruction of Queen Street in downtown Sault Ste. Marie is getting underway, although it will be scaled down from the original plan.
Social services agencies across the north are sounding the alarm after funding cuts on homelessness programs were recently published.
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections won by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, a federal commission of inquiry has found.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says universities have to be trusted to manage their campuses as pro-Palestinian student protesters set up encampments at several institutions across Canada.
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
New Brunswick's official languages commissioner says the province's online health-care service is violating provincial law by failing to consistently provide services in French.
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
Many species of animals form social groups and behave collectively: An elephant herd follows its matriarch, flocking birds fly in unison, humans gather at concert events. Even humble fruit flies organize themselves into regularly spaced clusters, researchers have found.
China on Friday launched a lunar probe to land on the far side of the moon and return with samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side.
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.
Danny DeVito had the opportunity to know way more about Drew Barrymore than the rest of us.
The start of the first civil trial stemming from the 2021 Astroworld festival, at which 10 people were killed in a crowd surge, has been delayed.
By its nature, it's nearly anonymous work, with stunt performers doubling for daintier stars. But Leitch, a longtime stuntman before he became a director, and "The Fall Guy," which opens in theatres Friday, hope to redefine the role of stunt work in Hollywood.
Co-operatives are found in many forms, from agricultural co-ops to grocery stores, gas stations and car-shares. Their exact business models vary, but what they have in common is that they are owned by their members, who have a share in the organization and a say in how it runs.
Ontario is set to clamp down on bad employers with big fines. Labour Minister David Piccini says his government will introduce legislation next week that will see fines increased for violations of the Employment Standards Act.
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
A Montreal astrologer and horoscope writer just got a boost on his retirement budget, after winning Loto-Quebec’s Grande-Vie prize, which comes in the form of $1,000 a day for life.
What do you need to pack for a cruise? When it comes to this upcoming cruise from tour and travel company Bare Necessities, the answer appears to be very little.
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.
Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks and Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators are the finalists for this season's Jack Adams Award.
William Nylander scored twice and Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Drivers in Saskatchewan will now lose their licence for a week and their vehicle for a month if they are caught committing certain high-speed and dangerous offences on the road.
Auto sales last month totalled 164,000 units, higher than April 2023, which was the weakest month for sales last year.
Rolls-Royce is vastly expanding its factory in Chichester, England. The BMW subsidiary is adding five new buildings with construction planned to start next year.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
