Canadian Mental Health Association’s position paper on medical assistance in dying (MAiD)

On April 14, 2016, Bill C-14 (the Bill) received first reading in the House of Commons of Canada and was formally passed into law on May 30, 2016. The Bill primarily sets out to decriminalize medical assistance in dying (MAiD) by amending portions of the Criminal Code that otherwise prohibit it. Additionally, it addresses eligibility and procedural elements of MAiD. The Bill follows the Supreme Court of Canada 2015 decision in Canada v. Carter, which legalized MAiD in Canada by striking down the Criminal Code provisions associated with the act.