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Preventing Coercion of Persons Not Seeking Medical Assistance in Dying Act

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying — protection against coercion)

Summary

  • Creates a new Criminal Code offence for federal or provincial government officers and employees, other than medical practitioners or registered nurses (including nurse practitioners), who initiate a discussion about medical assistance in dying (MAID) with someone who has not requested it.
  • Applies when the employee is in a position of trust or authority toward the person and knows the person did not specifically ask for the MAID discussion.
  • The offence is punishable on summary conviction, adding a legal deterrent against unsolicited MAID suggestions by non-clinical government staff.
  • Intends to prevent perceived coercion and to keep MAID counseling within clinical contexts under existing professional standards.

Builder Assessment

Abstain

Principles Analysis

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Canada should aim to be the world's most prosperous country.

The bill focuses on assisted dying discussions and does not materially affect national prosperity.

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Promote economic freedom, ambition, and breaking from bureaucratic inertia (reduce red tape).

It adds a new criminal prohibition governing staff communications, increasing compliance, training needs, and legal exposure rather than reducing red tape.

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Drive national productivity and global competitiveness.

No direct effect on productivity, trade, or competitiveness.

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Grow exports of Canadian products and resources.

No linkage to export activity.

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Encourage investment, innovation, and resource development.

No bearing on investment or innovation ecosystems.

✗

Deliver better public services at lower cost (government efficiency).

Criminalizing certain staff communications could increase training, compliance, and legal risk costs and may chill service delivery, reducing efficiency.

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Reform taxes to incentivize work, risk-taking, and innovation.

No tax measures are involved.

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Focus on large-scale prosperity, not incrementalism.

A narrow criminal law change on MAID discussions does not address large-scale prosperity.

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C-260

PartyMember of Parliament
StatusOutside the Order of Precedence
Last updatedN/A
TopicsCriminal Justice, Healthcare, Social Issues
Parliament45