Liberal Government Seeking Delay to Expanding Medically Assisted Dying Program

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti and Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, hold a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Dec. 15, 2022. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

The Liberal government announced Thursday it will seek to delay the expansion of Canada’s assisted-dying regime to include people whose sole underlying conditions are mental disorders.

Justice Minister David Lametti said during a news conference that the government has heard concerns that the health-care system might not be prepared to handle those complicated cases.