A Conservative private member’s bill to make violence against pregnant women an aggravating factor in sentencing was flatly defeated in the House of Commons as other parties said they feared reopen the abortion debate.
The controversial bill was backed by almost everyone in the Conservative Party, including leader Pierre Poilievre who declared himself “pro-choice” during his leadership campaign.
The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada had urged MPs to vote against the bill on the basis that it promotes fetal rights, even though there is no mention of fetal rights in the text of the bill itself.
Campaign Life Coalition chairman Jeff Gunnarson had said he hoped the bill would contribute to a legal case for fetal rights and abortion restrictions in the future, but he believed it was unlikely.
The bill was sponsored by Tory MP Cathay Wagantall, who opposes abortion but recently said the legislation was entirely focused on violence against women.
She received a standing ovation from her Tory colleagues in the House of Commons ahead of the vote.
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