Canada’s Assisted Suicide Bill Approved by House of Commons

Canada’s House of Commons on Wednesday passed the government’s proposed assisted suicide law.

The House of Commons voted 186-137. The law still requires Senate approval.

The Supreme Court last year struck down laws that bar doctors from helping someone die, but put the ruling on hold while the government came up with a new law.

Despite pressure to speed the approval, Conservative Senate leader Claude Carignan says there’s no way the bill will be passed by Monday — the day the ban on assisted suicide ends.

He says the bill will not be put to a final vote until the end of next week at the earliest, the Associated Press reported.

Canada’s Senate is unelected and largely rubber stamps legislation passed by the elected House of Commons. Some amendments could occur.