Ministers Fraser and Michel to Announce Updates to Canada's MAID Law
Justice Minister Sean Fraser and Health Minister Marjorie Michel will hold a media availability in Ottawa on October 27, 2026, to discuss proposed updates to Canada's medical assistance in dying law, including halting expansion based on mental illness and introducing advance consent for adults with incurable illnesses.
Minister of Justice Sean Fraser and Minister of Health Marjorie Michel are scheduled to hold a media availability in Ottawa, Ontario, to discuss proposed updates to Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID) law. The event will take place at the National Press Theatre, located at 180 Wellington Street, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM ET.
The federal government has committed to not moving ahead with expanding MAID eligibility to people on the basis of a mental illness. Additionally, the proposed updates would allow adults to consent in advance to receive MAID later. This advance consent mechanism would apply following a diagnosis of an incurable illness expected to remove a person's ability to make that decision, subject to rigorous safeguards.
Ahead of the ministers' appearance, a virtual media technical briefing on the Bill will be held via the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery on October 27, 2026, from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM ET. Participation in both the media availability and the technical briefing is restricted to accredited members of the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery.