Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada: Focus on Rural Communities

The 2015 Carter v Canada (Attorney General) case radically changed end-of-life care in Canada. This groundbreaking decision legalized physician-assisted suicide for competent adults who meet certain clinical criteria and who consent to their termination of life. The federal government then passed its legislative response, Bill C-14, to change the Criminal Code and legalize medical assistance in dying. Since Bill C-14 was enacted, the health care community has struggled to ensure that its implementation occurs in a legally compliant, patient-centered manner. This article focuses on the challenges of this new law for nurse practitioners, especially those in rural and remote communities.