OTTAWA — Justice Minister Peter MacKay says he suspects any government will need more time to respond to the Supreme Court of Canada's ruling on doctor-assisted death.
In February, the court found the prohibition on physician-assisted suicide infringes charter rights.
The ruling gave Parliament a year to draft new legislation that recognizes the right of clearly consenting adults who are enduring intolerable physical or mental suffering to end their lives with a doctor's help.
MacKay says the government expects to launch formal consultations on the issue very soon.
He says the government has already held informal consultations on the issue and is reviewing foreign precedents.
With Parliament about to adjourn and an October election in the offing, the court's one-year deadline is getting tighter.
