Thank you, Mr. Joint Chair.
Welcome, Mr. Pelletier.
I would like to talk to you about item 2, which is titled “Mature Minors.” That is on page 54 of your report.
As you know, the Carter decision refers to competent adults. Yesterday, your colleague, Professor Hogg, said that there can be different ages of majority in the Criminal Code. In other words, people can reach the age of majority at 21, 18 or 16 years of age.
The Carter decision established that a competent adult had the right to physician-assisted death. I think that Parliament is not limited by that decision or by a strict interpretation of the definition of an adult. It is Parliament's duty to define what the mental capacity of an individual to express their decision and intention should be.
Setting aside what you noted in your report—especially when it comes to Ontario's Health Care Consent Act, 1996, which does not specify the age at which a minor can express their agreement or disagreement with a treatment—as a law professor, can you suggest what approach the committee should use to define the age of accessibility?