The Debate on Roxanne's Law Dec. 13 and the Vote Dec. 15

Vote: December 15th 2010

STEPHEN HARPER VOTES “NO” TO PROTECTING WOMEN FROM FORCED ABORTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Prime minister Stephen Harper joined 177 other Members of Parliament today and voted against a bill that would protect pregnant women from being coerced into an abortion they did not want.

“This is a scandal of the highest proportion” said John Hof, president of Campaign Life Coalition BC. “"This was common sense legislation that would have protected a vulnerable, pregnant woman's CHOICE to give her baby life." To see the leader of our nation stoop so low as to deny this protection simply to avoid talking about the abortion issue, is atrocious” Hof added.

Bill C-510 placed women first in the decision making process. Their wishes would have been paramount and the free vote in the House has now denied them that legal protection. “this places women at risk of being forced into abortions and not even the most radical of feminist groups came to their defence” said Hof.

This vote, of 178 to 97, will show clearly where dedicated pro-lifers and feminists should direct their support in the next election. This was not about abortion at all. It was about ensuring women were making the decision without pressure. Canada is the only nation with absolutely no laws regarding the termination of pregnancy before birth. The absence of any law, is what prompted this proposed Bill.

Examples of pregnant women being brutalized and killed, like Roxanne Fernando for whom the Bill was named, abound in our nation. “This vote today leaves the survivors of this brutality with no recourse under our law. Stephen Harper has abandoned them and their children yet again, all in the interests of not wanting to raise an uncomfortable issue” concluded Hof.

For more information of this and other pro-life issues please contact:

John Hof

Campaign Life Coalition British Columbia

Box 12045 Murrayville RPO

Langley, BC     V3A 9J5

Phone:   604-534-4828          jhof@telus.net

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"Canada supposedly loves the middle way, compromise and the "big tent" but when it comes to rights issues, other minorities -- First Nations, gays, people of colour -- mill around sipping tea in cozy comfort under a protective canvas, while the unborn are always left outside, heaped forlornly in the rain."

Columnist Barbara Kay, National Post, March 23, 2005

Debate On Tuesday December 14th 2010 

From Someone who attended the debate 
Yesterday's debate on Bill C-510 (Roxanne's Law) was unbelievable! I've never seen anything like it. See full debate here: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3&DocId=4881391

(See LifeSite News coverage in article copied below.)

The Liberals put up no speakers at all, the NDP and Bloc put up only one speaker each, so the Conservatives had a chance to put up 5 speakers in total (4 of whom were in favour).

In all my time observing debates on issues related to pregnant women (one hour of debate on Leon Benoit's Bill C-291, two hours of debate on Ken Epp's bill C-484, and last months debate on C-510), I've never seen such reluctance (fear?) by opponents to debate. Could it be they realize it can only look bad for them to oppose a bill that protects women from coerced abortions?

Of course, the Conservative government put up a speaker (to represent the government's position), Brent Rathgeber, and he was the only Conservative Member to speak against the bill. And since the other parties didn't put up any more speakers, it cycled around to the Conservatives again, and Bev Shipley got a chance to address Rathgeber's legal arguments against the bill, which were basically the same arguments made during the first hour of debate last month.

So that was 3 speeches against the bill: the usual "back door attempt to criminalize abortion" rhetoric by the Bloc and NDP; and the government's rep who opposed it on legal grounds which were nicely refuted by Shipley and Bruinooge; and 4 speeches in favour: Kelly Block (finishing up her speech from last month's debate--each MP gets 10 minutes, and she used up 5 last time), Bev Shipley, David Anderson, and Rod Bruinooge's final 5-minute "right of reply."

It was truly a wonder to behold! A great day in our House of Commons -- where honourable Members bore witness to the plight of pregnant women who are coerced into aborting their unborn children by third parties who consider them a burden. And it's now all on the public record. See full debate at:
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3&DocId=4881391

The crucial Second Reading vote will be on Wednesday, Dec. 15. If it passes, the bill will go to the Justice Committee for further study, where witnesses will get the chance to testify. If it fails, the bill will die and will no longer by on Parliament's agenda--and a powerful vehicle for educating the public and raising the social and moral consciousness about the injustice of coercing women into unwanted abortions will be gone. There's no way to know how long it will be before we are given another opportunity like this.

If you haven't contacted your MP in support of this bill, there's still time. You can find contact info for your MP at:
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

Several MPs still have not yet made up their minds on how they will vote tomorrow. There is still a chance to make a difference.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abortion-coercion-law-debated-in-parliament-vote-on-wed