Withholding and withdrawing: question of healthcare providers’ authority left open/unanswered

The following are cases in which Canadian courts have left the question of healthcare providers’ authority to unilaterally withhold or withdraw potentially life-sustaining treatment open or unanswered:

• London Health Science Centre v. RK, 1997 CanLII 14487 (ON SC).
• Scardoni v. Hawryluck, 2004 CanLII 34326 (ON SC).
• Re LIC (Dependent Adult), 2006 ABQB 130 (CanLII).
• Yeung v Capital District Health Authority (Dec. 15, 2006), Halifax HFX273970, (NSSC (TD)).
• Rotaru v. Vancouver General Hospital Intensive Care Unit, 2008 BCSC 318 (CanLII).