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42nd Parliament, 1st Session (December 3, 2015 – Present)
About the Committee
On December 11, 2015, the Senate and the House of Commons each adopted a motion appointing a special joint committee on physician-assisted dying. The motion adopted by the Senate appointed five honourable Senators to the Committee. The motion adopted by the House of Commons stipulated that the membership of the Committee will be determined by the whip of each party by depositing with the Clerk of the House a list of his or her party’s Members of the Committee no later than five sitting days after the adoption of this motion.
The 1st session of the 42nd Parliament opened on December 3, 2015.
A new Parliament has now started. However, Committees cannot take up the responsibilities assigned to them until their members have been named and a chair is duly elected.
Standing Order 104(1) provides that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs is charged to prepare and report to the House the lists of Members to compose the standing and standing joint committees. Once the report on the membership of the standing committees has been approved by the House, a meeting of each standing committee is convened within 10 sitting days by the Clerk of the House, for the principal purpose of electing a Chair.
Committee Mandate
The Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying was appointed to review the report of the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada and other recent relevant consultation activities and studies, to consult with Canadians, experts and stakeholders, and make recommendations on the framework of a federal response on physician-assisted dying that respects the Constitution, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the priorities of Canadians.
External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter vs. Canada
The Federal Government posted the final report of the External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada. The report summarizes the results and key findings of the External Panel’s consultations on physician-assisted dying. Thousands of individuals, experts and organizations, both within Canada and abroad, have provided their views on this complex and sensitive issue since the Panel was established by the Government of Canada in July 2015. The report will be reviewed by the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying. The Committee will also consult with experts, stakeholders and Canadians, and make recommendations on the framework of a federal response on physician-assisted dying. View report
Meetings
- Friday, February 5, 2016, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Friday, February 5, 2016, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Thursday, February 4, 2016, 4:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 3, 2016, 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, February 2, 2016, 5:33 p.m. to 8:39 p.m.
- Monday, February 1, 2016, 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Monday, February 1, 2016, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Thursday, January 28, 2016, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 27, 2016, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Monday, January 25, 2016, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Monday, January 25, 2016, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Monday, January 18, 2016, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
On February 25, 2016, the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying tabled its report: MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN DYING: A PATIENT-CENTRED APPROACH (View Report)