Bill C-7 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
Short answer
Bill C-7 amends the Criminal Code to expand eligibility for medical assistance in dying, introduce new safeguards, and update practitioner responsibilities.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.
AI-generated from official bill text; automatically checked and spot-reviewed.
Bill C-7 amends the Criminal Code to expand eligibility for medical assistance in dying, introduce new safeguards, and update practitioner responsibilities.
Bill C-7 amends the Criminal Code to change the legal framework for medical assistance in dying. Key changes include removing the requirement that a person’s natural death be reasonably foreseeable for eligibility, excluding mental illness as a qualifying condition, and introducing new safeguards for cases where death is not foreseeable. It also modifies consent requirements, adds procedural steps for medical practitioners and nurse practitioners, and updates reporting obligations.
- Removes the requirement that a person’s natural death be reasonably foreseeable for eligibility
- Excludes mental illness as a qualifying condition for medical assistance in dying
- Introduces two safeguard frameworks: one for cases where death is foreseeable and another for unforeseeable death
- Allows medical assistance in dying with prior agreements if a person loses capacity to consent
- Modifies consent verification processes and waiting periods
- Requires independent witnesses and communication assistance for individuals with difficulties
- Updates independence requirements for medical practitioners and nurse practitioners
- Expands compliance obligations for practitioners, assessors, and pharmacists
- Adds new subsections (3.1)-(3.5) to outline detailed safeguards
- Medical practitioners
- Nurse practitioners
- Patients seeking medical assistance in dying
- Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
- Independent witnesses
- Regulatory authorities overseeing compliance
- The bill text does not specify exact definitions for 'foreseeable death' or 'communication difficulties' that would trigger the new safeguards.
The Criminal Code is updated to change eligibility criteria, add safeguards, and modify practitioner responsibilities for medical assistance in dying.
Source: Sections 241.2, 241.2(2), 241.2(2.1), 241.2(3)-(6), 241.3, 241.31
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. Coverage is limited to the official text extracted for this bill version.
Official textParliamentary Process
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We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Introduction and first reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Sponsor’s speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Consideration in committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Report stage yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
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Official sources
This plain-English summary is based on official legislative sources and public records. It is intended for civic education and is not legal advice.
How this data is sourced