Dr. Regina McQuillan:

Everyone dies. We have 100% mortality in case the committee is wondering.

We are all going to die; nobody is going to get out of this alive.

An important point in the context of these discussions is how people make choices. Senator Black made reference to the question of clear thinking. We can talk about the theoretical, rational adult who can make a very clear choice but very few people live independently and are able to make exactly the choices they want. Their choices are limited by the fact that they are part of a social network or a family and have other responsibilities. Choice may also be limited by the type of the health care to which they have access. If they cannot access health care easily, that might limit their choices. Their choices are also limited by how much they know or understand about the options or choices they have now and into the future. A cornerstone of health care is to respect peoples' right to make decisions. However, we must also respect the reality of the difficulties people may have in making decisions at times and of how decisions can be limited by the circumstances in which people find themselves. When we have a less than perfect health service and less than perfect disability services, that can also limit peoples' choices. Their choices will be limited by those sorts of factors.