“I am pro-choice and I will vote against this private member’s bill,” said Conservative leader
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OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole has said he will vote against a Conservative MP’s private member’s bill that would ban gender-selective abortions, but his office said the rest of his caucus would be free to vote as they see fit.
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“I am pro-choice and I will vote against this private member’s bill,” O’Toole told reporters Monday morning. “As Prime Minister, I will always stand up for the human rights of all Canadians, including women, to make this decision for themselves. I have been very clear on this and I will be Prime Minister.
The bill, introduced by Saskatchewan MP Cathay Wagantall, is due for debate at second reading on Wednesday, but is unlikely to pass due to expected opposition from Liberal caucuses, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois, as well as some Conservative members. The bill would criminalize “the fact that a doctor performs an abortion knowing that the abortion is requested only because of the genetic sex of the child”.
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Private member’s abortion bills are an ongoing problem for any Conservative leader, and they are primarily a test of how a leader handles relationships in a caucus with very different views on the subject.
As Prime Minister, I will always stand up for the human rights of all Canadians, including women, to make this decision for themselves.
In the 2020 Conservative leadership race, O’Toole stood out alongside rival Peter MacKay by promising that all Conservative MPs would be free to “vote their conscience on moral issues, no matter what” . He made the pledge after MacKay said if he were prime minister he would make sure his cabinet voted against any abortion laws.
O’Toole did not directly say Monday morning that he would allow his seat – the so-called shadow cabinet – to vote freely on the issue, but his office later confirmed to the Post that it would be a free vote.
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In her own press conference, Wagantall said she understands this is a free vote for the party and that she has no problem with O’Toole opposing her project. of law.
“It’s his decision,” she said. “I’m really happy actually… In our party we have freedom, we have a big and wide tent, and I feel very welcome in my party.”
Pro-choice advocates have long argued that selective abortion bills are being used by pro-life advocates to open the door to a more restrictive abortion regime in Canada.
But Wagantall argued that polls show she has a majority of Canadians on her side when it comes to banning gender-selective abortions, pointing out that Canada currently has no legislation on it. abortion in place.
“I am honored to bring this bill to the House of Commons for debate and to show Canadians that we, their lawmakers, are ready to discuss issues that are important to them, rather than just as part of our agendas. policies. she said.
• Email: [email protected] | Twitter: btaplatt
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