Mr. Lloyd Riley:

I thank Deputy Higgins for her questions. In reference to her comment on my statement about policy positions we might hear today, I agree with the Deputy that nobody is suggesting that we should pass an assisted dying law with zero safeguards. I thank the Deputy for asking about Dignity in Dying's position. As indicated by Mr. Copson, our position is different from that of other campaign groups. We very much see assisted dying in an end-of-life context. I am sure that is a phrase the committee has heard in previous sessions in regard to how Canada's legislation differs from that which pertains in US states and Australian states. That is where Dignity in Dying sits. We campaign for an assisted dying law for terminally ill, mentally competent adults. These are the core eligibility criteria that we believe should be in legislation. We believe there is a principled difference between a dying person exercising control over a death that is imminent and inevitable and somebody shortening his or her life, potentially by many years. That is our position.

In terms of safeguards, the Oregon model has been in place for 25 years but no two pieces of assisted dying legislation are the same. It is about learning best practice not just from Oregon but from the ten states that followed its lead and from states in Australia and New Zealand.