“A Crushing Defeat for Motion 312”
That’s the headline we want to see when we wake up on the day after the vote on Motion 312 – Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth’s attempt to turn back the clock on women’s rights by giving them to fetuses instead.
Let’s send Motion 312 back to the hell hole it came from!
Join ARCC’s “Crush Motion 312” campaign.
** The second hour of debate on M312 is scheduled for Sept 21, and the vote for Sept 26**
After the surprisingly successful debate on April 26 in which Motion 312 was thoroughly smacked down by MPs from three parties (including a the Conservative MP), we know the motion will almost certainly be defeated. But we’ve got the Conservatives in a weak spot right now – they’re afraid of the abortion issue because they know it hurts them. Let’s capitalize on that by sending a strong message to the Conservative government that the pro-choice and women’s movements are strong, loud and proud! We’ve got the ovaries to deliver a crushing defeat to Woodworth and his motion, which could strongly discourage the introduction of future bills or motions and demoralize the anti-choice movement. As journalist Chantal Hébert wrote in May after the first debate:
“A defeat this time — at the hands of the most socially-conservative friendly majority government in decades — would be a crushing blow to the anti-abortion cause. It could be construed as its biggest setback since the Supreme Court ruling.”
ARCC is shooting for less than 50 Yes votes for Motion 312, which would be a record low for any anti-choice motion or bill. The last anti-choice bill in 2010 (C-510 “coerced abortion”) garnered 95 votes.
Please help out with three main actions!
1. Help ensure a strong ‘No’ vote so we have enough votes to defeat the motion.
2. Paper petition drive
We need as many signatures as possible on our paper petition. We will become stronger and stronger if pro-choice MPs present a constant stream of petitions in the days leading up to the vote. Please print out copies and gather as many original signatures as you can. Mail the sheets to Niki Ashton, Member of Parliament, House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 (not to ARCC). (Note: The petition is on legal size paper 11×14, or you can shrink to letter size 8-1/2 x 11 for printing.)
3. Target anti-choice MPs
We want to overwhelm anti-choice MPs and those with an unknown stance with emails, faxes, letters, and phone calls from pro-choice and women’s rights supporters, urging them to vote No on the motion. Please send them our sample letter, written just for anti-choice MPs, or write one of your own. Or phone them if you prefer. We’ve created a full contact list for all 108 anti-choice MPs and 55 with an unknown stance, including phone, fax, email, and mailing address for each. (No postage is required.) We even have email lists that are ready to cut and paste into your email program, so you can send your letter to all MPs at once.
Those are the two top priorities – but if you can, there’s more to be done! Please keep reading…
4. Contact your own MP MPs
We know that pro-choice MPs are on our side, but will they show up to vote No? A strong No vote by pro-choice MPs is important not only to help ensure the motion fails, but to widen the gap as much as possible between the No and Yes votes. Even if you’ve already contacted your MP, please consider doing so again, perhaps in a different way. You can:
- Send an email, fax, or regular letter.
- Send a pro-choice postcard (print one yourself or email info@arcc-cdac.ca with your snail-mail address and we will send some).
- Phone them.
- Visit their local constituency office. To look up the address, check this list.
- 5. Organize or participate in an event
5.Organize or participate in an event
The fabulous Radical Handmaids (website, Facebook page) will be doing street actions in Ottawa around the time of the 2nd hour of debate and the vote in September. (get your photo taken in front of the Wall of Wombs!). If you can’t get to Ottawa, you could host a small event in your own city, perhaps outside an anti-choice MP’s constituency office – wearing a Radical Handmaid’s costume! Or, knit a womb or vulva and send it to Ottawa or to your anti-choice MP. Check ARCC’s Action Alert page for links to costume patterns and womb/vulva patterns, and where to send your finished products. You can also join the Womb Swarm Parliament Facebook page.
5.Online petition
Finally, our online petition is still active and growing. Although not ‘official’ we will send it to Ottawa just prior to the vote, and do more publicity around it. Please sign if you haven’t already!
Thank you everyone!
Together we will Crush Motion 312 and send it back to the hell hole it came from. Yes we can!
Please support ARCC in its work by becoming a member or making a donation! We receive no government funding, and because we are a political group and cannot issue charitable tax receipts, fundraising can be especially difficult. To join or donate, simply print, complete and mail this membership form. Or you can use PayPal by clicking on the ‘Make a Donation’ button on our homepage. Thank you!
