The outgoing justice minister says he suspects any government will ask for more time to draft a law on doctor-assisted death, but Peter MacKay does not think it’ll be written up too soon.

The justice minister is expected to announce consultations shortly and adds with the federal election, currently scheduled for October, it’s not possible to draft a new law that quickly.

The Zoomers’ group CARP – A New Vision of Aging – is not buying that.

CARP’s Susan Eng tells Zoomer Radio, ”In face, in Quebec, they had a long consultation on these very issues and they came to a conclusion that they did, which was to pass a law.  His (MacKay’s) own back-bencher has drafted laws that are based very much like the Quebec legislation and that’s also been debated both in Quebec and in other countries.  So there is no great need for more extensive consultations other than to delay.”

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court struck down the ban and gave Ottawa one year to come up with another law.