N.B. Senator grapples with decision on assisted dying bill

New Brunswick Senator John Wallace is still decidingwhether to support the federal government's doctor-assisted dying bill, as the deadline to enact legislation is set to pass Monday.

Wallace says he's waiting to hear the recommendation from the Senate legal committee, which will be reviewing the bill clause-by-clause and hearing from more witnesses. The committee is expected to report back to the Senate Tuesday.

"I wish we had more time to consider this. The issue is so fundamental, so important, so personal to all of us," the Independent Senatorsaid.

• N.B. doctors urge swift passing of assisted dying bill

The Supreme Court ruled last year that a ban on doctor-assisted death was a violation of a patient's rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The country's highest court gave Ottawa a year to introduce legislation, and then extended the deadline to June 6.

The Supreme Court decision states the law should not prevent a person with a "grievous and irremediable medical condition" from receiving doctor-assisted dying.

But the government's bill goes a step further, saying the person must be in an "advanced stage of irreversible decline" where natural death is "reasonably foreseeable."

That's one of the issues that's been weighing most heavily on Wallace's mind.

He says the discussion on medically assisted dying has been the most important and challenging he's had since joining the Senate.

"I would say in my seven years plus in the Senate, it's the most difficult one I've had to deal with."

He's received hundreds of e-mails from different groups with a myriad of perspectives. And along the way, his perspective has shifted.

"I found the deeper I've gone into it and the more I've listened to others, my views have changedno question," Wallace said.

More consultation

But even though Wallace has heard from many Canadians, he doesn't think that's enough.

He says it's unfortunate there hasn't been more consultation.

"I don't feel we've had the type of consultation with the public that I would like to see or to have seen before making this type of societal shift." Wallace said.

"I do feel we were very constrained with the time limits we've been given to deal with this."

Wallace emphasizes the deadline was imposed by the Supreme Court and not the government.

The province's Medical Society has urged the Senate to quickly pass the legislation, so that physicians have consistent guidelines.

New Brunswick's College of Physicians and Surgeons did draft assisted dying guidelines in the lead-up to the original Supreme Court deadline in February.

Other provinces and territories have similar guidelines.

Wallace is disappointed the Senate won't meet theJune 6 deadline, but he doesn't think a week's delay will be very problematic.

But he saysthe absence of federal legislation over a long period of time would betroubling.

"That would not be fair to Canadians," said Wallace.

"It could involve patients shopping by province and territory seeking medically assisted death."