Canadian Prime Minister'hopeful' physician-assisted suicide bill will pass

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he is "hopeful" Parliament will pass a new bill allowing physician-assisted suicide before the previous law permitting the practice expires, United Press International reported on Sunday.

The deadline, which was reaffirmed by the Canadian Supreme Court, expires June 6.

Trudeau, speaking at the final day of the biennial Liberal Party Convention, said the law is needed to give doctors and hospitals clarity in dealing with terminally ill patients.

"There will be people who by many objective criteria should have access to medical assistance in dying will not be able to because practitioners will be concerned there isn't any legal framework or protection for them," Trudeau told reporters Saturday. "And perhaps other people in different areas of the country who will have access to it when again according to fairly objective criteria, they should not have access to medical assistance in dying."

Source: MENA