The Carriage of Death: What Kind Does Canada Have?

Using a carriage of death metaphor, based on Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death", the authors highlight the development of the last 40 years of the Canadian legal landscape and end-of-life decision making. Beginning with the Canadian Criminal Code, moving through the Rodriguez decision and ending with the recent 2015 Carter decision, they explore how the evolution of time has influenced Canada's highest court. The authors conclude with an exploration of advance care directives and what we may expect as Canada continues its travels down this road.