A Harper Majority Government Would Pass Anti-Abortion Restrictions

By Joyce Arthur, Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

September 11, 2008

Below - See our Complete List of Current Anti-Choice MP's (prior to October 2008 election)

Courtesy of a survey of MPs by Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), the ranks of known anti-choice MP’s in the current Parliament have just swelled. In 2006, we estimated that 32% of all MPs were anti-choice based on their records. Thanks to a recent list published by CLC, that number is now known to be at least 40%. About 74% of Conservative and 28% of Liberal MPs are anti-choice. In addition, the total number of anti-choice MPs could be as high as 49% if votes for Bill C-484 are counted as part of an anti-choice record (94% of Conservatives and 29% of Liberals).

Prime Minister Harper is eager to dissociate the Conservative Party from the abortion issue. The unofficial kickoff to his election campaign was a repudiation of Bill C-484 ("Unborn Victims of Crime Act") by the Conservative Justice Minister, along with a firm promise not to legislate on abortion or introduce fetal rights. With this move, Harper chose to abandon his right-wing base on the abortion issue and instead, pander to feminists and left-leaning groups.  Harper wants nothing to do with the abortion issue, because he knows that any whiff of anti-abortionism is political suicide in an election. Not only do the media pounce like sharks on any anti-choice misstep, a majority of Canadians are pro-choice. According to a June 2008 Angus Reid poll, 49% of Canadians think abortion should be legal under any circumstances, 42% want it legal in at least some cases, and only 5% would ban it outright.

Nevertheless, Campaign Life Coalition has decided to sabotage the chances of a Conservative majority victory by surveying MPs and publicizing a stupendously long list of 108 anti-abortion MPs, most of them Conservatives. Actually, the list comprises those who oppose the awarding of the Order of Canada to Dr. Henry Morgentaler, but it’s safe to assume that MP’s who take a public position against the award have a problem with abortion rights. This is in defiance of the sentiments of most Canadians since one of the few reputable polls done (Ipsos Reid, July) found that 65% of Canadians support the Order of Canada award for Dr. Morgentaler.

The large increase of known anti-choice MPs in Parliament spells trouble for abortion rights if Harper wins a majority Conservative government. We could easily be looking at a new Parliament with a clear majority of anti-choice MPs. Not only will they have the power to pass anti-abortion bills, they can be counted upon to use it. Prior to the election call, at least three private member bills were in play, which would either restrict abortion or endanger abortion rights. These bills will probably be re-introduced in the next session, along with a government bill making pregnancy an aggravating factor in assaults on women. We have not seen the wording of this latter bill, and some women’s groups fear it could also lead to restrictions on women’s rights.

Further, the Liberal caucus harbours a frightening number of anti-choice MPs – more than a quarter of them - 28%, compared to the 20% known in 2006. Stéphane Dion needs to make clear to his MPs and candidates that the Liberal Party is officially pro-choice. He must rein in his anti-choice MPs by requiring them to vote against anti-abortion bills, or at least absent themselves from abortion-related votes.

Most Canadians will not vote for the Conservatives if they fear that Harper will allow restrictions against abortion to pass. We need to get the word out that a majority Conservative government would do just that.

List of Anti-Choice MPs

*  These are the 24 Conservative MP’s and 1 Liberal MP who voted in favour of Bill C-484 but who have no other known public position on abortion, including no position on the Order of Canada award. It’s possible they are not anti-choice, but they are included in the above list. (Please email info@arcc-cdac.ca if you have additional information.)
 
Column 1 — Anti-choice MPs were listed during the 2004 or 2006 election. Criteria: They had an anti-choice voting record, or had publicly spoken at or attended events organized by anti-choice groups, or had publicly stated they are "pro-life" or would support abortion only in limited circumstances. Note:  Conservative MP Gordon O’Connor has been removed from the 2006 anti-choice list for voting against Bill C-484 and supporting Dr. M’s Order of Canada.

Column 2 — Whether the MP publicly opposed the awarding of the Order of Canada to Dr. Henry Morgentaler, according to a survey conducted by Campaign Life Coalition.

Sources:

• Over 100 MPs Oppose Morgentaler Order of Canada – List Released Today, LifeSiteNews.com, August 28, 2008
• House of Commons, 39^th Parliament, 2^nd session, Journals, No. 60, March 5, 2008, (scroll towards the end of the page for voting record on Bill C-484)
• Conservative Minority Poses a Danger to Abortion Rights, Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, June 23, 2006
• Candidate Evaluations / Questionnaire Results - Federal Election Canada 2006, Campaign Life Coalition
• Is There a Hidden Conservative Party Agenda on Abortion? You Decide. Katherine McDonald, Action Canada for Population and Development, Jan 13, 2006
• Canadian Post-Election Analysis by Action Canada for Population & Development, Katherine McDonald, Jan 26, 2006
• Post Election 2006: First Conservative Cabinet, Action Canada for Population & Development, Feb 6, 2006
• A Discouraging Victory, Joyce Arthur, Pro-Choice Press, Spring/Summer 2004