Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the second report of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying entitled Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada: Choices for Canadians.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the first report (interim) of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying, which deals with the review of the provisions of the Criminal Code relating to medical assistance in dying and their application, including but not limited to issues relating to mature minors, advance requests, mental illness, the state of palliative care in Canada and the protection of Canadians with disabilities, entitled Medical assistance in dying and mental disorder as the sole underlying condition: an interim report and I move that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.

(On motion of Senator Martin, report placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate.)

Senator Martin: Leader, in accordance with Bill C-7, your government has set up a panel of experts to recommend protocols, guidance and safeguards for requests for medical assistance in dying by persons who have a mental illness. These individuals will be eligible for MAID in March of 2023, as you know.

Ms. Hoffman told the committee that the expert panel’s recommendations would be made public sometime later this month.

Senator Gold, how do you explain that the expert panel will make its recommendations on MAID for persons with a mental illness without any input from Indigenous communities?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question for the government leader also concerns medical assistance in dying.

On April 13, when testifying before the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying, Ms. Abby Hoffman, Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Health, admitted that the government has not really begun consultations with Indigenous communities on the changes to the MAID regime in Canada. Bill C-7 received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021 — more than a year ago.

Senator Gold, why has your government once again failed to consult Indigenous communities regarding its planned changes to the MAID regime?