OTTAWA -- Federal Attorney General David Lametti has filed a second motion requesting an extension to respond to a court ruling that struck down sections of the federal assisted dying law.

Citing the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including to the regular parliamentary schedule—a decision the government played a key role in—Lametti said that it will be “impossible” to advance the changes needed to bring the legislation in line with the new ruling in time.

The government is now asking for a five-month extension, saying it is "needed to provide sufficient time for Parliament to properly consider and enact this proposed legislation.”

In September 2019, the Quebec Superior Court ruled that sections of the federal and Quebec laws on medically-assisted dying were invalid, finding that they were unconstitutional because they were too restrictive.

The court specifically took issue with the Criminal Code requirement that a natural death be "reasonably foreseeable" in order for a person to be eligible for assisted death. This gave the federal and provincial governments six months to review the ruling and revise their laws, with the court’s ruling set to come into effect on March 11, 2020, unless an extension was granted.

In February Lametti sought, and was granted an initial four-month extension, giving the government until July 11 to pass new legislation.  

The government then tabled a new bill in February proposing changes to the law that responded to the court ruling following cross-Canada consultations. However, the legislation has been stalled in the House of Commons because MPs have decided to not consider any non-COVID-19 bills.

Bill C-7, as it’s titled, seeks to allow those eligible to pursue a medically-assisted death whether or not their death is reasonably foreseeable, and makes other proposed amendments to the regime.

In a joint statement, Lametti in his capacity as the minister of justice and Health Minister Patty Hajdu said that the government “remains committed” to responding to the court ruling “as quickly as possible.”