Judge Halts Euthanasia Law
Home > Euthanasia Issues > Judge Halts Euthanasia LawA Quebec Superior Court justice has ruled a provincial law allowing some
terminally ill patients to end their lives with medical help cannot take
effect on Dec. 10, as planned.
Justice Michel Pinsonnault said key articles in the new law contradict
provisions of Canada’s Criminal Code on medically assisted suicide –
provisions that are still the law of the land until February 2016.
Pinsonnault instead ruled that the provincial law must be in line with
federal laws, which take precedence, and since those have not yet been
changed to reflect the Supreme Court ruling on assisted-suicide, the
Quebec law cannot take effect.