Doctor-assisted dying is 'time-sensitive issue' : P.E.I. premier

Physician-assisted dying was one of the topics on the table at a recent meeting of provincial justice and public safety ministers in Quebec City, attended by Premier Wade MacLauchlan.

The premier, who also serves as the Island's minister of justice and public safety, says due to thetheSupreme Court of Canada's decision,it's an issue that needs immediate attention.

"That is going to be a very sort of a time-sensitive issue over the next several months and that will require action by the provinces," saidMacLauchlan, who is alsoa former dean of the law school at the University of New Brunswick.

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MacLauchlansaid he hopes that the provinces can work together on this file.

"And in our case, there may well be an opportunity to work in collaboration with the other provinces here in the region as we see what's involved in following up from federal action to change that law," he said.

Other topics at the Quebec City meetings included discussinga national approach tothe problem of violence against indigenous girls and women, and what needs to be doneto follow up on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The ministers also heard presentations from Public Safety Canada oncybersecurity and the radicalization of Canadians going abroad to become involved in terrorism.

The meetings included sessions on innovative approaches to justice systems, something Prime Minister Trudeau promised when he took office last fall.

Pot low on list

While legalizing marijuana is a commitment MacLauchlan expects the government to followed through on, he said the ministers barely mentioned it in Quebec.

"I would say it's a little further down the road in terms of how the federal ministers are looking at that," said MacLauchlan.