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2004 Vote for Equality - Home
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Rights
Why
Canadian women (and men) should be worried
Action
Canada for Population and Development
June
2, 2004
Yesterday,
Rob Merrifield, health critic for the Conservatives, made the
ultimate Freudian slip that the Conservatives have been dreading,
revealing
the hidden agenda of many Conservative candidates. He has thrown
the abortion issue into the election mix, suggesting that a
third party, not necessarily a doctor, provide mandatory counselling
to women seeking abortions.
In contrast to
the Conservative party, Canadians have consistently over the last
decade and longer, made their opinions clear. An overwhelming 78%
of Canadians believe that decisions concerning abortion are best left
between a woman and her doctor. Given this clear and unequivocal
position, it is surely time for all parties to make their positions
on this pivotal issue crystal clear.
Steven Harper’s
very coy response was both qualified and inaccurate, saying, “I’ve
been very clear a Conservative government in its first term led by
me will not be bringing in abortion legislation or sponsoring an abortion
referendum”. What about his second term? He then said
that it makes no difference in any event, given that health policy
is a matter of provincial jurisdiction.
I beg to differ
with Mr. Harper, who apparently does not know that abortion is indeed
a federal issue. In fact, abortion is restricted by the Criminal Code
of Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada in 1988 struck down the federal
criminal legislation which required a panel of physicians to recommend
abortions. The court, in the famous Morgantaler decision, while striking
down the law, still left the door open for further legislation. The
Mulroney government introduced new legislation restricting abortion,
which was narrowly defeated in the Senate.
And perhaps Mr.
Harper is forgetting about the 2003 private members’ motion proposing
that the Health Committee examine the health risks of abortion and
to research whether abortions were medically necessary, every Alliance
member, with the exception of Keith Martin and Rahim Jaffer, voted
for the motion. The remaining 46 Alliance members supported it, as
did 17 Liberals, 4 Tories, and one Independent. Interestingly, 78
members were absent, and 13, including 10 Liberals, left the room
just before the vote was taken.
I do not want
to be in the position of our Southern neighbours who marched one million
strong in Washington just one short month ago in support of reproductive
rights. The non-position, or should I say, slippery position of the
Conservative Party gives me no comfort whatsoever. And should give
others no comfort either.
Katherine McDonald
Executive Director
Action Canada
for Population and Development
260, Dalhousie Street, Suite 300
Ottawa (Ontario) K1N 7E4
Phone: (613) 562-0880 ext. 22 Cellulaire: (613) 852-2436
Fax: (613) 562-9502
E-mail: katherine@acpd.ca
Web Site: http://www.acpd.ca
Source: Action
Canada for Population and Development
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