The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada says a Conservative MP’s bill could be a backdoor way to promote fetal rights.
If passed, Bill C-311 would encourage judges to consider physical or emotional injury to a pregnant victim as an “aggravating factor” when determining sentencing.
Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall, patron of C-311, opposes abortion, but she said the bill only targets violence against pregnant women.
But several groups opposed to abortion point out that this bill would represent a step forward, because it would legally recognize the “unborn child” in a case of violent crimes, which is not the case at the moment.
The president of the anti-abortion organization Campaign Life Coalition, Jeff Gunnarson, certainly hopes that this bill would contribute to a legal case for fetal rights and restrictions on abortion in the future, but he believes that it’s unlikely.
While the bill would aim to protect an unborn child in the womb, Mr. Gunnarson said, it would not protect him from abortion — only from violent crimes.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has said in the past that he is “pro-choice” and will not introduce legislation to limit abortion rights in Canada. His spokesperson confirmed that the leader intended to vote in favor of the bill.
“I still think he wouldn’t vote for it, for the simple reason that it would give the impression to the media and pro-abortionists that he’s somehow leaning towards a pro-life stance,” he said.
Mr. Gunnarson’s body wouldn’t be so quick to jump to that conclusion, though. “I believe him when he says a Poilievre government will not pass or create any legislation to protect unborn children,” he said.
“Rolling back women’s rights”
According to Joyce Arthur, executive director of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, the remarks are revealing and alarming because the bill could be used to establish restrictions on abortion.
Journalists on Tuesday asked the Conservatives’ lieutenant for Quebec, Pierre Paul-Hus, if his party wanted to reopen the abortion debate by a roundabout maneuver.
” No way […] It has nothing to do with abortion, launched the deputy, who is pro-choice. This is a bill that I could have tabled myself without any problem.
“It is the condition of the woman to be pregnant, quite simply. It really is to create an aggravating factor to attack a woman who is pregnant […] like someone with a disability. »
Minister Mélanie Joly accused the Conservatives of wanting to “create a breach” and “roll back the rights of women in the country”.
“We have seen it: they are inspired by what is happening in the United States, they are trying to import here in Canada some of the tactics and strategies that are put in place south of our border, argued Mr.me Joly in the scrum. They are trying to do through the back door what, in essence, the anti-abortion groups want to do to the country. »