Read about the AQDMD’s Guiding Principles
Read the AQDMD’s Founding Statements
The AQDMD is involved in the following ways:
- Raising awareness and providing information for the general public about medical assistance in dying (MAID) and legislation surrounding it, through personalized actions (phone calls and emails) and generalist conferences/meetings.
- Promoting public engagement and activism, as well as speaking publicly, to advance the rights of Quebecers in terms of their end-of-life choices.
- Working in a non-partisan capacity with members of parliament and the federal and provincial governments on bills related to MAID, which may lead to an amendment of the Criminal Code or existing legislation.
- Drafting and submitting briefs about a range of issues related to MAID, before federal and provincial special committees.
- Maintaining an active presence and providing concrete support during trials, to improve current legislation.
- Creating relationships and establishing roundtable discussions with provincial, federal, and international organizations and associations interested in end-of-life conditions.
- Continually encouraging citizens to submit advance medical directives stating their of end-of-life choices.
- When necessary, referring people to various organizations that provide support and guidance to persons seeking MAID, to their families and to their informal caregivers.
AQDMD Priorities for 2024
Priority #1
Increase public sources of information about protecting the rights of citizens when it comes end-of-life care, including medical aid in dying (MAID).
Priority #2
Raise the profile of the AQMDMD and encourage community mobilization.
Priority #3
Actively work to expand the criteria for medical aid in dying (MAID) eligibility, especially for advance requests made by patients with a neurocognitive degenerative disease, as well as the extension of the law to mental health disorders as the only health problem.
The AQDMD’s six major actions
2011
The AQDMD was involved in the case of Ginette Leblanc, who was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and seeking medical assistance in dying (MAID) before the Superior Court of Quebec
2015
The AQDMD was involved in the Carter-Taylor case before the Supreme Court of Canada, a case that went on to invalidate sections of the Criminal Code, recognizing the right to obtain MAID under certain circumstances.
2019
The AQDMD was involved in the Gladu-Truchon case before the Superior Court of Quebec. Judge Christine Baudoin’s decision rendered unconstitutional both Quebec’s eligibility criteria for “end of life,” in Act 2, and the “reasonably foreseeable natural death” criterion in federal legislation.
2020
The AQDMD filed a brief and took part in hearings on Bill C-7 before the House of Commons Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and then before a Senate committee.
2021
The AQDMD filed a brief and participated in the hearings of the Select Committee on the Evolution of the Act respecting end-of-life care, regarding issues related to a potential expansion of MAID for persons incapable of providing consent and for persons whose sole medical problem is a mental disorder.
Briefs
The AQDMD was invited to participate in various special consultations and public hearings for federal and provincial commissions. In this context, the organization was called upon to write briefs regarding bills to be drafted about MAID. This was the case for Bills 52 (Quebec), C-14 (Canada) and C-7 (Canada), as well as the Select Committee on the Evolution of the Act respecting end-of-life care (Quebec).
Brief regarding Bill 52: An Act respecting end-of-life care (Quebec), 2013.
Brief regarding Bill C-14: Amendment of the Criminal Code (Canada), 2016
Brief regarding Bill C-7: Amendment of the Criminal Code (Canada), 2020.
Brief regarding the framework of the Select Committee on the Evolution of the Act respecting end-of-life care (Quebec), 2021.
Annual Reports
Previous Annual Reports are available upon request.
Annual General Meetings
The next AQDMD Annual General Meeting will be held online on Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 10:00 to 12:30. For more information, please write to us!