The debate surrounding who should have access to medical aid in dying has been renewed following the alleged mercy killing of a 60-year-old woman with Alzheimer's.
This week Michel Cadotte was charged with second-degree murder after his wife was found, 60-year-old Jocelyne Lizotte, was found dead at a long-term care facility in Montreal.
According to Lizotte's family her request for medically assisted suicide was refused.
The law, as it stands, requires someone be close to death, in 'unbearable suffering' with 'an irreversible decline of capabilities' and have the mental capacity to make the request.
The issue at hand, patients with degenerative diseases are no longer considered mentally fit to make the decision by the time they would be close to death. When they would be considered mentally capable they are not considered close enough to the end of their life to be considered for medical aid in dying.
PQ justice critic Veronique Hivon, who spearheaded Quebec's assisted dying legislation, said while it is a difficult debate, it is one worth having.
"Should we give the possibility to people who know will be facing a degenerative disease to ask in advance, in for example, advanced medical directives, to be able to get that kind of medical aid in dying, if they come to face the criteria of suffering, of the law, but are not able to ask for it themselves at the time? So that is the question," said Hivon.
The CAQ joined the PQ in calling for a parliamentary committee to study the rules and look at ways of amending the legislation to include advanced consent.
Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said he won't close any doors on the debate.
"I'm not surprised that the societal thinking in that regard is still moving on. To where it will lead us? This is something that will have to be determined," he said.