Self-advocates are expressing disgust over recent changes to federal Medical Assistance in Dying legislation.

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In short, they say last month乌鸦传媒檚 expansion of Bill C-7 to include people with non-terminal conditions is a violation of human rights 乌鸦传媒� one that leaves them 乌鸦传媒渟ad, scared and angry.乌鸦传媒�

In a statement distributed Tuesday (April 13), (SALN) officials 乌鸦传媒� representing a network of self-advocates from seven Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island organizations 乌鸦传媒� say the move 乌鸦传媒渉as further devalued people with disabilities and many other groups of Canadian citizens,乌鸦传媒� and puts many people with disabilities at risk.

The legislation revision, the statement continues 乌鸦传媒� citing United Nations human-rights experts 乌鸦传媒� is based on ableist assumptions about the quality and worth of the life of a person with a disability.

Canada first legalized assisted dying in June 2016 (it came into force in Quebec in December 2015). In September 2019, the Superior Court of Quebec ruled that parts of the laws on MAID were unconstitutional, namely, the requirement that a patient乌鸦传媒檚 natural death must be 乌鸦传媒渞easonably foreseeable乌鸦传媒� in order to qualify for the service. Government was given six months to amend it.

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Online consultation followed, including regarding whether new hurdles should be imposed to prevent abuse and protect vulnerable people from being pressured into ending their lives. The government乌鸦传媒檚 survey also asked whether the law should be expanded to include allowing people who fear losing mental competence to make advance requests for an assisted death.

The latter aspect prompted one SALN member to describe the new bill as 乌鸦传媒渇rightening.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚f someone is not well (mental health) and feeling they are ready to die 乌鸦传媒� they are vulnerable 乌鸦传媒� this is dangerous.乌鸦传媒�

The revised bill does include higher hurdles for those not near death, including a minimum 90-day period for assessments of their requests for an assisted death. They will also have to be able to give final consent immediately before receiving the procedure. As well, people suffering solely from grievous and irremediable mental illnesses will have to wait two years to gain the right to seek medical assistance in dying.

Nolda Ware, SALN supporter and manager of family support services and person-centred practices for UNITI 乌鸦传媒� a partnership of three organizations, including Semiahmoo House Society, that advocates for and supports people with disabilities and their families 乌鸦传媒� expressed concern around influence and coercion, and said the system has no right to make judgment on a person乌鸦传媒檚 quality of life.

And while an Ipsos survey conducted for Dying With Dignity Canada in January 2020 suggested overwhelming support among Canadians for expanding access to medically assisted dying, SALN chair Michael McLellan described the revision, given royal assent on March 17, as 乌鸦传媒渁 huge step backwards.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚t clearly tells us how they do not value people with disabilities/mental illness,乌鸦传媒� he said.

Government committed to setting up an expert panel to advise on safeguards and protocols that should apply to people with mental illnesses, and rejected a Senate amendment to allow people who fear losing mental competence to make advance requests for an assisted death. The latter issue and other unresolved matters are to be reviewed by a joint parliamentary committee.

SALN乌鸦传媒檚 newsletters are distributed across the province, including to federal representatives. The network, formed in 2019, aims to 乌鸦传媒減romote a good life through positive and informed: actions, networking, and advocacy.乌鸦传媒�

- with files from Canadian Press