On July 17, 2015, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Peter MacKay, and former Minister of Health, Rona Ambrose, announced the establishment of an External Panel of experts who will consult with stakeholders and with all Canadians on options for dealing with the Supreme Court of Canada's lifting of the prohibition against physician-assisted suicide.

The External Panel has created a website, in English and in French, by which it plans to coordinate its consultation efforts with Canadians. The website explains that two levels of consultation will occur:

1. Bilateral or multilateral discussions with interveners in the Carter v. Canada case and relevant medical authorities;
2. Online consultations open to all Canadians and other stakeholders. The online consultation had an interactive questionnaire, and the results of the consultations can be found here: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/pad-amm/p4.html

The Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), wrote to the Minister of Justice on May 20, 2015, requesting that the CCCB be among those to be consulted by the Government of Canada on this question.

The CCCB is encouraging all the Catholic communities across Canada to participate in the online consultation. Furthermore, the "Life-Giving Love" Campaign website of the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF), launched in September 2014 with the support of the CCCB, provides many resources and formative tools on end of life care: http://www.lifegivinglove.com/english

Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Articles

• Supreme Court of Canada Decision Allows for the Prescription and the Syringe (Impact Ethics)
• Euthanasia is so accepted that doctors must now justify prolonging a life by Barbara Kay, National Post (January 28, 2015)
• Crossing the Rubicon, Supreme Court seems eerily complacent about ramifications of assisted suicide ruling By Andrew Coyne (National Post, February 6, 2015)
• SCC Assisted Suicide decision is irresponsible and dangerous By Alex Schadenberg, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition by Alex Schadenberg (February 7, 2015)
• This slippery slope leads to Holland and Belgium by Licia Corbella (Calgary Herald, February 7, 2015)
• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide - Urgent Questions (COLF)

Statements regarding Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

• Statement by Bishop Henry of Calgary
• Statement by CCCB President, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, on Supreme Court judgment and physician-assisted suicide
• Letter to Honorable Peter MacKay from Margaret Sommerville (Feb 19, 2015) regarding Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
• From COLF - God Alone is the Arbiter of Life
• From Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
• From The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
• Council of Canadians with Disabilities “Commentary on SCC Assisted Suicide Judgment in Carter v. Canada - Key Concerns”

End of Life Care

• A Catholic Perspective on Health Decisions and Care at the End of Life