Conservative MP’s bill on conscience rights for doctors fails, Poilievre votes to support

The private member's bill was defeated in the House of Commons Wednesday, despite getting support from most Tories, including their new leader, Pierre Poilievre.

Nearly all Conservative members of Parliament voted for a bill they say would protect the conscience rights of health professionals when it comes to medical assistance in dying.

The private member’s bill was defeated in the House of Commons Wednesday by a vote of 203 to 115, despite getting support from most Tories, including their new leader, Pierre Poilievre.

The bill was introduced by Kelly Block, a Conservative MP from rural Saskatchewan who hails from the party’s social conservative wing, which champions the issue of conscience rights.

The governing Liberals and MPs from the NDP and Bloc Quebecois voted against the proposed law, which sought to change the Criminal Code to protect health professionals from having to “directly or indirectly” participate in medical assistance in dying.

The Conservatives saw 114 votes cast in favour of the bill. The House of Commons website shows no votes were registered for Melissa Lantsman, one of the party’s two deputy leaders, as well as MPs Eric Duncan, Dave Epp and Richard Martel.

Kevin Vuong, an Independent MP for the downtown Toronto riding of Spadina-Fort York, also supported Block’s bill and appears to be the only non-Conservative to have done so.

Block’s proposal would have made it an offence to intimidate or fire a health-care worker who refuses to provide a medically assisted death or provide a referral for the service.

The Liberal government has long said there is nothing in its legislation that forces a health professional to “provide or help to provide” the procedure if it conflicts with their personal beliefs.