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Hon. Arif Virani

Member of Parliament
Minister of Justice Attorney General of Canada
Liberal

Parkdale—High Park
Ontario
Voting Attendance: 64%
Expenses Last Quarter: $120,537.19

Government Page

Context: House Hansard - 281 - Feb/13/24

Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)

Feb/13/24 2:40:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, medical assistance in dying is a deeply personal and complex choice. There is always a balance to be struck between an individual's autonomy and dignity, and the protection of the vulnerable. We have taken a cautious approach from the beginning. We owe it to Canadians and Quebeckers to treat these issues thoughtfully and to proceed with caution.

60 words

Context: House Hansard - 281 - Feb/13/24

Hon. Arif Virani

Feb/13/24 10:36:17 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what I can add to the conversation I just had with my colleague across the way is that we created expert panels to study several aspects of expanding medical assistance in dying. Experts conducted a study on advance requests. They found that it is extremely complex when we talk in the present about articulating a desire to seek medical assistance in dying, added to the fact that a person might submit a request 30 or 40 years ahead of time. Given the context, their situation, condition and wishes could change. This said, Quebec has already addressed the issue, and a bill has been introduced in the province. We are well aware of this, and we are starting a discussion with Quebec. Discussions will be held. We have a Criminal Code that applies across the country. Consequently, the question has to be approached the same way we dealt with the other aspects, meaning nationally. This is what we did when we prudently undertook consultations while taking the necessary precautions.

170 words

Context: House Hansard - 281 - Feb/13/24

Hon. Arif Virani

Feb/13/24 10:26:27 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's remarks and his hard work on the special joint committee. I have several points to raise. The first one is that the bill addresses mental illness as the sole condition. The act requires that we deal with the issue before March 17, 2024. I have a lot of respect for my colleague across the aisle. He mentioned that Canadians from coast to coast agree on the issue of advance requests. Although Quebec has expressed its willingness, I do not believe that all Canadians agree; that is the second point. Obviously, if we want to extend medical assistance in dying to advance requests, we need to do so responsibly and with caution, as we did with all of the other issues, in other words, with all of the health experts, namely health ministers, psychiatrists, doctors and nurses. We need to proceed with caution, making sure to respect individual rights. We also need to strike a balance between individual rights and the protection of vulnerable persons. That is how we have been doing things since 2016, and that is how we will continue in the future. Once again, it is important to note that the Criminal Code applies to the entire country. It is important to have clear information for all Canadians, so that everyone understands their rights and the criminal rules that apply across Canada. Criminal law must be consistent from one province to another. That said, political discussions with Quebec are ongoing because this conversation needs to be had. However, we need to proceed carefully, cautiously and prudently.

266 words

Context: House Hansard - 280 - Feb/12/24

Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)

Feb/12/24 2:27:25 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, from day one, we have been treating medical assistance in dying with care. We are trying to balance the autonomy and dignity of the individual with protecting vulnerable populations. We have adopted a prudent approach from day one. We owe it to Canadians and Quebeckers to address these issues in a thoughtful way and to proceed with caution. We will do that.

64 words

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Minister of Justice Attorney General of Canada

Hon. Arif Virani