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Last week's strong recommendation to indefinitely halt Canada's planned expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) for people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness was welcomed as a major victory by many Canadians. But despite the encouraging news, the fight isn't over.

In an interview with Rebel News, Tamara Jansen, Conservative MP for Cloverdale—Langley City, explained why the committee's recommendation does not automatically change the law and why Canadians concerned about vulnerable people suffering from mental illness are still not out of the woods.

Although the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying overwhelmingly recommended that the federal government indefinitely pause the expansion, the Criminal Code remains unchanged. Unless Parliament acts before March 27, 2027, the temporary exclusion preventing MAID for mental illness alone is still set to expire.

Jansen is urging the government to adopt the proposed legislation set out in her Private Member's Bill, C-218, which would permanently prohibit MAID where mental illness is the sole underlying condition.

The MP also explains why the joint parliamentary committee ultimately recommended an indefinite pause after hearing testimony from psychiatrists, clinicians and people with lived experiences. Jansen says witnesses made it clear that it is "impossible" to determine whether a person's mental illness is truly irremediable — a key requirement for MAID eligibility.

"This cannot be done safely because we cannot tell if someone's mental illness is irremediable. There's always hope... There's new treatments... New people come into your life, and you can look
at life differently,” said Jansen.

Jansen is encouraging Canadians to contact their MPs over the summer to urge Parliament to enshrine the committee's recommendation in law before the current deadline.