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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

By: Mia Rabson

Posted: 02/23/2015 5:31 PM | Comments: | Last Modified: 02/23/2015 6:08 PM | Updates

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Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is set to introduce a motion for the House of Commons to strike a special committee to consider new legislation on doctor-assisted suicide. Photo Store

OTTAWA - The federal Liberals will ask Parliament to set up a special Parliamentary committee to study the recent Supreme Court decision permitting doctor-assisted suicide in Canada.

The motion, which is set to be introduced by Leader Justin Trudeau Tuesday, calls for the House of Commons to acknowledge the courts ruling earlier this month to strike down Canadas blanket ban on doctor-assisted suicide and that the 12-month time frame the court gave for governments to respond is a tight deadline.

There are only 12 weeks when the House of Commons sits between now and the summer, after which it wont likely sit again until November, after the election is over. That will leave just three months, including the Christmas break, which usually stretches from mid-December until the end of January, for any legislative changes to respond to the effect of the decision on Canadas criminal code.

So the Liberals propose a special committee be struck by the middle of March to meet with experts and other interested Canadians over the next five months. It would report back with legislative recommendations for the federal governments response to the decision no later than the end of July.

If the government waits until after the federal election scheduled for October, there won't be enough time to properly consider the issue, Liberal Justice Critic Sean Casey said.

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Liberals propose special committee for assisted-suicide legislation