Quebec patient receives doctor-assisted death in Canadian legal first

A Quebec City patient has died with theassistance of a doctor, in a Canadian legal first.

A spokeswoman for the authoritythat oversees health care in the Quebec City region confirmed to CBC News that one patient has received medical aid in dying and a second request is being considered.

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AnnieOuellet oftheQuebec CityIntegrated University Health and Social Services Centrewould offer no further details on the patient or the circumstances.

It is the first known case since theprovince's assisted dying law came into effect on Dec. 10, 2015.

More cases may exist

There may be more cases, but health agencies in Quebec are not obliged to report them on demand.

CBC and Radio-Canada have contacted most of the 28 regional health authoritiesrequesting the number of cases of medicallyassisted death since the law came into effect.

Some authoritieshave refused to release the information, citing patient confidentiality.

Others have said they are only required to release the data in reports filed every six months.

Some have confirmed to CBC that they have not had any requests for medically-assisted death.

Joanne Beauvais, a spokeswoman for provincial Health Minister GatanBarrette, refused to comment on the case or even to confirm the case, citing patient confidentiality.

Beauvais said a parliamentary committee will prepare a reporton all cases for the Quebec National Assembly by Sept. 30 at the latest.

4 months for Ottawa to draft new law

Last month,Quebec became the first province in Canada where it became legal for terminally ill patients tochoose to die with medical help.

In December, athree-judge Quebec Court of Appeal paneloverturned an earlierQuebec Superior Court ruling aimed atsuspending implementation of the province's dying with dignity lawuntil certain provisions of the CriminalCode were changed.

The appeal decision stated thatthe Quebec lawdoesn't contravenesections of the Criminal Code related to assisted dyingbecause theywere struck down by Canada's Supreme Court last February.

The Court of Appealalso urged the federal government to develop federal legislation "that would apply in Quebec as well as in the rest of Canada."

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Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of Canada heard arguments onthe Trudeau government'srequest for a six-month extension to draft new legislation.

Ina 5-4 ruling handed down Friday,the Supreme Court of Canada granted the federal government afour-month extensionto pass assisted dying legislation, rather than the six months the government had asked for.

The court also ruledthat Quebec's assisteddying law can remain in effect.