The Liberal government today Thursday introduced legislation that would delay the expansion of the medical assistance in dying system to include those suffering only from a mental illness until 2027.

Health Minister Mark Holland introduced the legislation, and Justice Minister Arif Virani told reporters that the delay is necessary until the Canadian health care system is ready to implement the expansion.

Virani said: "Due to the importance of the decision, and because of the nature of the consequences of this type of policy, we must ensure that we do it right, and we are determined to do so."

He confirmed, "Pausing it for the next three years will ensure the system's readiness, which the health care system has pointed out."

Holland said the decision to postpone the expansion until after the next federal election has nothing to do with election politics, but was made to ensure the health care system's readiness, noting that "elections or partisan issues are not relevant."

This is the second time the government has sought to delay the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) since Quebec's Supreme Court struck down the government's original 2016 legislation because it was limited to those whose death was "reasonably foreseeable."

New legislation was passed in 2021 which delayed the MAID extension by two years to include those suffering from mental illness, and this deadline was later postponed to March 17 of this year.

Last fall, the federal government tasked a special committee composed of 15 MPs and Senators with determining whether the health care system was ready for the expansion.

After hearing from dozens of witnesses, the committee issued a report on Monday concluding that Canada is not ready.