Almost a year post-Roe, Canada must do more against ‘backsliding’ risk
Almost one year after the fall of Roe v. Wade, the risk of more “backsliding” of sexual and reproductive rights around the world is real — and Canada needs to do more to “scale up” its support, a parliamentary committee is urging in a new report.
The House of Commons foreign affairs committee heard from more than 20 witnesses and pored over briefs from nine individuals and organisations before issuing its report.
SOURCE: Global News, by Sean Previl, 19 June 2023 + PHOTO in Rabble.ca: An abortion rally in Chicago in May 2022. Credit: Flickr
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Conservative bill rejected that would have created fetal rights
A controversial Conservative private member’s bill intended to make violence against pregnant women an aggravating factor during court sentencing was roundly defeated in the House of Commons, as other parties said they feared it would reopen the debate on abortion.
The bill was supported by nearly all members of the Conservative party, including Leader Pierre Poilievre who had declared himself to be “pro-choice” during his leadership campaign. However, the MP who tabled the bill has supported anti-abortion bills in the past, and this bill would more or less have given legal recognition to the fetus.
The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada had urged MPs to vote against the bill on the grounds that it promoted fetal rights, even though there is no mention of fetal rights in the text of the bill itself.
SOURCES: National Post, by Catherine Lévesque, 14 June 2023 ; Global News, by Canadian Press staff, 14 June 2023