The Supreme Court Of Canada Overturns Prohibition On Physician-Assisted Suicide

Today the law criminalizing physician-assisted suicide was overturned in the landmark unanimous decision of Carter v. Canada (Attorney General) ["Carter"]1. The Supreme Court of Canada ["SCC"] sent a strong message in support of the protection of Canadians' right to life, liberty and security of the person (s. 7) pursuant to the Charter of Rights and Freedom ("Charter")2 .

In Canada, the Criminal Code ("Code")3 states that the aiding and abetting of suicide is a criminal offence under s. 241(b), which carries a maximum penalty of fourteen years in jail, and that no person may consent to death being inflicted upon them under s. 14 of the Code. The object of this prohibition on assisted dying is "to protect vulnerable persons from being induced to commit...