QUEBEC — The Quebec government has agreed to reopen the euthanasia debate.

The government announced it will host travelling consultations on the thorny question of assisted suicide.

It will first consult about 20 experts on the subject, and prepare a discussion paper that will help guide the discussions.

The government move comes in response to a request from the Opposition Parti Quebecois.

Assisted suicide is illegal in Canada.

But the government says it's okay to have a difficult conversation..

"I don't think there's any risk in launching a reflection," Health Minister Yves Bolduc said Thursday.

"It's a complex question and opinions are divided, but I think there's a consensus and that is that everyone would want to die with dignity and want their loved ones to die with dignity.

"Now we need to consider ways to make that happen and help improve people's situation."

He spoke after the Parti Quebecois held a news conference Thursday to demand such a public consultation.

"People are suffering. Doctors want guidelines," said PQ member Bernard Drainville.

"We need to give ourselves a framework. People are asking for it, it's a human issue, a moral issue."

The PQ cited surveys by doctors' groups that suggested medical specialists overwhelmingly favoured reopening the debate.

The opposition won't explain what solutions it might propose, and says it wants to see the debate play out first.