Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)

Marginal note:Exception

• 672.61 (1) The court shall not direct, and no disposition made under section 672.58 shall include, the performance of psychosurgery or electro-convulsive therapy or any other prohibited treatment that is prescribed.

• Marginal note:Definitions

  (2) In this section,

  electro-convulsive therapy

  electro-convulsive therapy means a procedure for the treatment of certain mental disorders that induces, by electrical stimulation of the brain, a series of generalized convulsions; (sismothérapie)

  psychosurgery

  psychosurgery means any procedure that by direct or indirect access to the brain removes, destroys or interrupts the continuity of histologically normal brain tissue, or inserts indwelling electrodes for pulsed electrical stimulation for the purpose of altering behaviour or treating psychiatric illness, but does not include neurological procedures used to diagnose or treat intractable physical pain, organic brain conditions, or epilepsy, where any of those conditions is clearly demonstrable. (psychochirurgie)