Letter from Minister Wilson-Raybould and Minister Philpott to the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada

Backgrounder

Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, Chair
Professor Catherine Frazee, Panel Member
Professor Benoît Pelletier, Panel Member

Dear Panel Members:

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your personal commitment of time and expertise in conducting consultations for the federal government on physician-assisted dying. This is a complex and sensitive issue that affects the lives of all Canadians. We acknowledge your exceptional dedication to this work.

Under the current mandate, you are scheduled to provide your final report to us on November 15, 2015. Given the limitations posed by the recent election period, we recognize that it is not feasible for you to deliver a professional and thoughtful report by this deadline. We are therefore extending your mandate to December 15, 2015.

As this timeline will remain challenging, we are also modifying the terms of the Panel's mandate. Rather than providing legislative options as per your original mandate, we would ask that instead you prepare a report summarising the results and key findings of your consultations. This modified mandate should allow you to complete a comprehensive report by mid-December, in time to inform the next stages of work leading to the Government's response to the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Carter v. Canada. Your report will provide invaluable insight into the views of Canadians, stakeholders and experts as we move forward with a response.

We remain committed to providing you with the support you need to complete the important work you are undertaking for all Canadians. We look forward to receiving your report.

Sincerely,

Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould,
Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Honourable Jane Philpott
Minister of Health

c.c.:   Stephen Mihorean, Executive Director, Secretariat to the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada.

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