Justice Minister Sean Fraser says the government will table legislation this fall that will indefinitely bar medical assistance in dying for patients whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.

Mr. Fraser also announced that the government’s bill will include measures on advance requests. He said the legislation will seek to grant MAID access to individuals who have provided consent at a time when they have cognitive capacity, but who have been diagnosed with illnesses that will take away that capacity.

The minister said Ottawa believes this is the correct approach to take at this particular time. Regarding MAID for patients with mental illness, he cited continuing concerns about inadequate access to mental-health services.

The government’s position on MAID for mental illness is in line with a recommendation issued earlier this year by a House of Commons and Senate committee on the issue. A majority of members recommended that it “indefinitely exclude persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness from eligibility for medical assistance in dying.”

Based on the current legislative calendar, MAID for patients whose sole underlying condition is mental illness are scheduled to be able to access it on March 17, 2027. However, the new government legislation seeks to change this timeline and shut down access indefinitely.