Would a late-term abortion law be seen as compromising on the principle that life begins at fertilization?
The definition of a compromise is “a mutual concession to reach an agreement”. Therefore, if you don’t make a concession, no compromise is involved. Since Canada has no laws protecting pre-born children we wouldn’t be conceding anything. As we don’t have the power to enact laws that save them all, we’re trying to gain the most ground in the face of overwhelming obstacles beyond our control.
Working towards the goal of saving all pre-born children, but only being able to save some is not a compromise. We can use analogies to help us understand this.
Imagine you are at the lake and witness a pleasure boat sinking. Upon seeing the crisis develop, you jump into your small inflatable dingy and paddle as fast as you can to the scene. When you arrive you see eight people without life preservers desperately trying to stay afloat.. Their boat is nowhere to be seen. Your dingy is much too small for everyone but you begin helping them from the water. You manage to fit three of the eight people in your small dingy and begin the journey to shore. When they are safely in the arms of onlookers you race back to get some more. Unfortunately they couldn’t swim and have disappeared to the depths of the lake. In the shock of what transpired you remind yourself that you did everything you could and saved as many as possible. You wanted to save them all, but considering the resources you had available (a small boat), you did what you could.
In Canada today, we have opportunity to save some pre-born children. Does this mean we don’t value the lives of all of them? Absolutely not! But, we must work within the existing means, considering the current social, political and legal framework, to do what we can right now, while continuing to advocate for further protections for children in the womb.