The government may be forced to bring MPs back to the House of Commons after the Canada Day long weekend to vote on the controversial doctor-assisted death legislation, 麻豆影视 has learned.
It would be the first time in decades Parliament would hold a summer session.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a scenario we're planning for,鈥� said a government insider.
The government had hoped to pass the legislation before the Supreme Court deadline of June 6.
But a series of setbacks -- including a full day of apologies after the Prime Minister elbowed an opposition MP -- squandered precious debate time to meet the deadline.
Government House Leader Dominic LeBlanc told CTV鈥檚 Question Period he expects the bill to come to a vote on Monday, May 30, when parliament resumes.
But getting it passed in the Senate presents a new series of challenges 鈥� including independent Liberal Senators who were booted from caucus by Justin Trudeau.
鈥淢any Senators have very strong views, opposing views, not all the same views about this bill,鈥� said Independent Liberal Sen. James Cowan.
Conservative Sen. Bob Runciman said he sees 鈥渘o way鈥� that the June 6 deadline set by the Supreme Court of Canada for legislation will be met.
鈥淚 think (Sen. Cowan) and I agree that's not the end of the world,鈥� he added.
Sources tell 麻豆影视 the Senate Committee of the Whole will study the Trudeau government鈥檚 assisted-dying bill and may take several weeks before making amendments and other changes.
That expected hold-up in the Senate would likely force parliament to be recalled in July 鈥� a time when MP鈥檚 are busy in their constituencies or on vacation.
The June 6 deadline already represents a delay. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in February 2015 that the government must 鈥� within one year -- put in place assisted-death legislation for people facing intolerable physical or mental suffering.
The Liberal government asked for a six-month deadline in order to study the issue before proposing its legislation. Patients鈥� advocates argued against moving the deadline, but the top court gave the government four more months.
Wanda Morris, a former CEO of Dying with Dignity Canada, told 麻豆影视 Channel when the delay was granted that she felt 鈥済utted for those individuals 鈥� waiting right now wanting to have the certainty, the peace of mind that they will soon have the choice to have a peaceful death.鈥�
