Canada’s parliament passes legal suicide bill

Canada’s parliament has passed a bill that was contentious to let medically-assisted death for terminally ill people.

The law was put forward after the Supreme Court struck down a prohibition on doctors helping the incurably sick to expire.

The move makes Canada among the few states where doctors can legally help sick people die.

But critics say the new legislation is too restrictive.

They assert it will prevent people with degenerative conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.

Government officials say the new law is a first step and can be enlarged in the future.

The legislation had passed by the House of Commons and Friday’s Senate vote means it currently just needs the formality of royal assent from the governor general to become law.

Assisted suicide is not illegal in just a couple of nations, including Switzerland, Japan, Albania, Colombia and the Netherlands.

The practice is legal in the US states of Washington, California, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico and Montana.