Canada to exclude mental illness as sole reason for euthanasia

By Maria Cheng TORONTO, Oct 7 (Reuters) Canada’s Justice Minister Sean Fraser said on Wednesday the government will introduce legislation ​this autumn to exclude mental illness ‌as the sole reason for euthanasia months after a parliamentary committee made a similar recommendation. • Fraser said he did not anticipate further restrictions on ‌Canada’s ​euthanasia legislation, which has created ⁠one of the ⁠world’s most permissive systems for assisted dying. • Fraser said the bill would also include provisions for advance requests from people seeking ​to be euthanized if they lose capacity to make that decision in the ⁠future, such as in ⁠cases of dementia or Alzheimer’s ​disease. • The government will amend Canada’s Criminal Code ​to ensure doctors who comply with the ‌criteria set out for euthanasia are not prosecuted as criminals. • Fraser said Canada would only allow euthanasia in provinces that legislate ⁠its access to people “who are suffering from incurable illnesses and are expe