End-of-Life in Prison Symposium Report

Authors

Adelina Iftene, Dalhousie University Schulich School of LawFollow
Crystal Dieleman
Hanna Garson

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

2017

Keywords

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), Corrections and Conditional Release Act, Canadian Prisoners, Correctional Service Canada

Abstract

In 2016, the Canadian Parliament passed “An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying)” (S.C. 2016, c. 3). This statute decriminalized providing medical assistance to the dying in a defined set of circumstances. The Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) was also amended: section 19 now reads “(1.1) Subsection (1) does not apply to a death that results from an inmate receiving medical assistance in dying, as defined in section 241.1 that Act.”

Pursuant to these amendments, this meeting focused on issues that may arise in implementing MAiD in the carceral context, asking “How can MAiD be implemented for Canadian prisoners responsibly?” or, in other words, “What obligations does the new MAiD legislation place on the Correctional Service of Canada and how can these be fulfilled”.

Recommended Citation

Adelina Iftene, Crystal Dieleman & Hanna Garson, "End-of-Life in Prison Symposium Report" (A Prison-Focused Satellite Meeting After the Second International Conference on End-of-Life Law, Ethics, Policy, and Practice, Halifax, 16 September 2017).