Canadian Province Begins Permitting “Advance Requests” for Medical Assistance in Dying

In a first for Canada, the province of Quebec last year enacted a law permitting “Advance Requests” for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Quebec delayed implementation of the law to permit the federal government to amend the Canadian criminal which restricts MAID to instances where the person making the request still has “capacity” immediately before the action is to be taken.  But effective on October 30, 2024, Quebec announced that despite no action at the federal level, it would begin the approval process for Advanced Requests immediately, deemed to be supportive of the wishes of people with degenerative cognitive conditions, including Alzheimer’s.  

Following the announcement, the federal Minister of Health says Ottawa will not be contesting advance MAID requests in Quebec despite the conflict with federal criminal law.  CBC News reports the federal government says it “will launch a countrywide consultation on the issue next month, with a report set to be published in March 2025.”

As a U.S. outsider watching this play out, the Quebec decision also appears to me to reflect growing political tensions, including those who are pressuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to grant their various demands, such as demands for increases in federal funds flowing to provincial projects, as the price to pay for any ongoing support for his national leadership position.