If you could read some of the stories that we had before us of parents of children dying of, let's say, bone cancer. Or people who dealt with family members drowning in their own bodies, in the end, suffering without any hope of modern medical science easing their pain or offering any comfort. With the absolute knowledge that they were going to die anyway. I can't quite comprehend how we could want those people to continue to suffer that extreme agony on the understanding that it is the will of a creator or some other philosophical concept.

After you are diagnosed with a condition that is reasonably likely to lead to intolerable suffering and eventually cause loss of competence. An individual in this situation is going to be followed closely, and if they've made this advance request, and had it approved, then obviously it's up to the medical team advising them to follow the legislation.

With regard to testimony from various experts, there was pro and con. The argument was very articulately made that many provinces allow mature minors - minors capable of making the decision - to make decisions on their own treatment in very serious cases, including cancer. They are given the right to ask for medical treatment to be withheld, so long as they understand.

If you could read some of the stories that we had before us of parents of children dying of, let's say, bone cancer. Or people who dealt with family members drowning in their own bodies, in the end, suffering without any hope of modern medical science easing their pain or offering any comfort. With the absolute knowledge that they were going to die anyway. I can't quite comprehend how we could want those people to continue to suffer that extreme agony on the understanding that it is the will of a creator or some other philosophical concept.

I have always had deep concerns about anyone's philosophy being imposed on the entire community.

I would say my life experience has involved dealing with people very close to me that have died.