Protection of Conscience Project
Protection of Conscience Project
www.consciencelaws.org
Service, not Servitude

Service, not Servitude

Submission to Canadian Regulatory Authorities and Ministers of Health 
Re: Health Canada's Model Practice Standard for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) (March, 2023)

Appendix “A”

Comparison of Carter exemption criteria, Criminal Code and Standard

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Note: The Standard replicates the Criminal Code provisions verbatim at 9.1.5 and 9.4.2 and elsewhere. Only explanatory comments are referenced below.

Carter SCC, para. 127
Criminal Code, s. 241.1(2)
Gloss by Standard etc.

grievous

a) serious

 

 irremediable

a) incurable

No available reasonable treatments as determined jointly by practitioner and patient.97 

medical condition

   

including illness, disease or disability (emphasis added)

a) illness, disease, disability

Mental disorder includes “neurocognitive or neurodevelopmental disorders” e.g., “dementias, autism, spectrum disorders, or intellectual disabilities.”98

 

b) advanced state

Severe.99

 

b) of irreversible

No available reasonable interventions as determined jointly by practitioner and patient.100

 

b) decline

 Reduction.101

 

b) of capability

Functioning, ability to undertake personally meaningful activities. Standard, supra note 1 at 9.6.2102

that causes

c) the illness, disease or disability or state of decline causes illness, disease or disability or state of decline causes

Illness, disease or disability or state of decline causes.103

enduring

c) enduring

Consistent over time.104

suffering

c) physical or psychological suffering

All dimensions of physical, psychological, social, existential suffering.105

that is intolerable to the person

c) that is intolerable to the person

Must respect subjectivity of suffering.106

 

c) that cannot be relieved under conditions they consider acceptable

No available reasonable interventions as determined jointly by practitioner and patient.107


Notes

97.    Standard, supra note 1 at 9.5.2; Advice, supra note 2 at at 4: question 3(a).

98.    Advice, supra note 2 at 23 (Mental disorder).

99.    Standard, supra note 1 at 9.6.3; Advice, supra note 2 at 5: question 4.

100.  Advice, supra note 2 at 5: question 4.

101.  Standard, supra note 1 at 9.6.3; Advice, supra note 2 at 5: question 4.

102.  Advice, supra note 2 at 5: question 4.

103.  Standard, supra note 1 at 9.7.2(c).

104.  Ibid at 9.7.2(b).

105.  Ibid at 9.7.2(a).

106.  Ibid at 9.7.2(e).

107. Ibid at 9.6.4.