Second MP plans motion related to abortion
OTTAWA — A second Conservative MP plans to introduce a motion related to abortion, despite this week’s defeat of an attempt by one of his colleagues to prod Parliament into examining when human life begins.
Conservative MP Mark Warawa’s motion would ask Parliament to condemn the practice of sex-selective abortion.
It may not be the last attempt to have federal politicians reopen the divisive issue. Anti-abortion MPs immediately claimed the proposal as a sign they are not going away, though Warawa said his motion was in no way related to a vote earlier this week on when life begins, a motion brought by fellow Tory Stephen Woodworth and defeated late Wednesday.
Antiabortion MPs suggested the failure of the Woodworth motion would in fact embolden them, potentially turning a disorganized movement into a co-ordinated political push.
“This is the day after and we start moving again,” said Mary Ellen Douglas, the national organizer of the Campaign Life Coalition, one of the country’s largest antiabortion organizations.
Some opposition MPs who voted down Woodworth’s motion believe there is more to come.
“The lesson that we’ve learned is that we have to be on guard, we have to protect women’s rights in this country,” NDP deputy leader Libby Davies said. “A third of the prime minister’s cabinet voted for the (Woodworth) motion. I think that sends a message that we can expect to see this kind of thing again.”
Warawa is asking the Commons to consider his motion to “condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.” He said his motion was not connected to Woodworth’s but was in response to reports and research suggesting some groups in Canada were terminating pregnancies when the fetus was female.