The government plans to adopt an act that will allow everyone to apologize without having to worry about being sued. Sources say Attorney General Chris Bentley and Health Minister David Caplan will on Tuesday announce the adoption of the Apology Act, initially introduced by Liberal backbencher David Orazietti.

Orazietti tabled his private member’s bill last April, saying he hoped to encourage more people to offer sincere regrets for their mistakes.

The bill would allow doctors, nurses and police to apologize for their errors without worrying about whether their statements will be used against them in civil court.

While the law would apply to all Ontario residents, it’s expected to have a special significance in health care, since professionals are generally advised to not apologize for fear those statements would be used against them in court.

British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have similar apology laws, as do 35 U.S. states.

Bentley has said he wanted to look into the ramifications of adopting the legislation, and both opposition parties have said they like the idea.

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