Canada government says court verdict on assisted suicide 'sensitive'

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian government said it will study a Supreme Court decision on Friday that overturned a ban on physician-assisted suicide and gave no indication on whether it would oppose it. "This is a sensitive issue for many Canadians, with deeply held beliefs on both sides," Justice Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement. "We will study the decision and ensure all perspectives on this difficult issue are heard." The verdict puts Canada in the company of a handful of Western countries where the practice will be legal. The decision takes effect in 12 months. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Writing by Susan Taylor; Editing by Leslie Adler)