You can access the Canadian Medical Association who represents most Canadian doctors views at
www.cma.ca - it's front and centre on their page. 45 percent of physicians support physician-assisted death and 27% would perform such actions. You will note that the association wants to protect physicians who do not wish to perform such a service; protect any vulnerable populations while ensuring timely access for people who want this service. They are working within the system to ensure just legislation.
I direct you to the following quotes
In the wake of the CMA’s annual General Council meeting in August, the association’s long-standing policy against medical aid in dying was changed to support the right of all physicians, within the bounds of existing legislation, to follow their conscience when deciding whether or not to provide medical aid in dying.
A 2014 survey of 5,000 members showed 45 per cent favoured legalizing physician-assisted death, while 27 per cent said they would likely participate if the act is legalized.
In its news release, the CMA stated the association would conduct a detailed analysis of the ruling and its implications.
The Supreme Court set out some criteria that would define individuals who would be eligible for physician-assisted dying, noting that they must be competent adults who clearly consent and are suffering with a “grievous, irremediable medical condition” that is intolerable to the individual.
https://www.cma.ca/En/Pages/end-of-...ke-lead-role-in-crafting-new-regulations.aspx
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https://www.cma.ca/En/Pages/cma-front-and-centre-following-supreme-court-decision.aspx
Simpson was able to clearly articulate the CMA’s main points about wanting to help craft any legislation dealing with medical aid in dying as well as respecting the perspectives of all CMA members on the issue.
The CMA also sent an email to all members the day of the decision stating these same views.
“Our main task now, as an association, is to work with the legislatures, our patients and others to make sure that any potential law contains safeguards against abuse and protects the rights of patients and physicians, both those who elect to participate and those who elect not to participate,” said Simpson in the letter.
One of the most detailed interviews with Simpson was conducted by John Geddes of
Maclean’s.
“… over the next 12 months …. we’ll need to balance the need to provide this service (medical aid in dying) to the small number of patients who need it and are eligible for it and protecting physicians from being coerced if they don’t want to participate in this,” Simpson said in that interview.
“We have to provide the educational tools and the regulatory framework that would allow this to be done in a way that makes everyone feel that the vulnerable are meticulously protected, but that those who need this procedure do get it in a timely way.”