Madam Justice Smith of the British Columbia Supreme Court has struck down sections of the Criminal Code prohibiting physician assisted suicide and euthanasia, given the Government of Canada one year to draft a law allowing the procedures, and granted a woman with ALS a “constitutional exemption” that will allow her to have a court authorize assisted suicide or euthanasia in her case in the interim. [Ruling] [Project review of ruling]
The case raises concern about freedom of conscience for health care workers because the plaintiffs specifically sought physician assisted suicide and physician-provided euthanasia.