So, we’re back with basically the same Parliament we had before, give or take a handful of individuals. While this election result felt like a collective shrug of Canadian shoulders, there were some big, bad promises made that we need to keep an eye on post-election. While Trudeau campaigned on a promise of Forward. Together. some people aren’t included in his vision of togetherness. Included in those left behind are women and pre-born children.
This election, the Liberal party added a few pro-abortion lines to their party platform. They promised to not only strong-arm provinces into funding abortions (a direct swipe at New Brunswick), but also to remove charitable status from pro-life organizations.
Trudeau is the most pro-abortion Prime Minister Canada has ever had. He may, in fact, be one of the most radical pro-abortion Canadians out there, given his unwillingness to tolerate even a whiff of moderation on this issue from his caucus. He would prefer, of course, to be called pro-choice, but these policies make it abundantly clear, there is only one acceptable choice.
Which really isn’t choice at all, is it?
Take just a minute to consider the two promises I mentioned. The first promise seeks to interfere in provincial health care spending, something the Canada Health Act is clear to spell out as the jurisdiction of the province. This is a result of ongoing activist noise in New Brunswick trying to force the provincial government to fund abortions at a private clinic. Never mind that New Brunswick funds abortions in hospitals, making access in the small province on par with many larger provinces – the Liberals want every abortion to be paid for by taxpayers.
The second promise targets the real support women may make use of when facing an unplanned pregnancy. Many women in this situation turn to a crisis pregnancy center for advice and support. These centers generally run on volunteers and donations. They provide peer counseling, pregnancy and birth support, baby supplies, and follow-up support for women and their families. But Mr. Trudeau and the Liberals promised to remove charitable status for “anti-abortion organizations” such as these, which could force many to close their doors. What does that say to the women who want real support to parent? Sorry, that choice isn’t welcome here.
I don’t think most Canadians support Mr. Trudeau’s hardline stance on abortion. Most Canadians support real choice, even if for them that unfortunately includes the choice of abortion. Still, most would never suggest targeting places that support women who want to parent.
Abortion is a bandage solution to many deeper problems faced by women – problems pregnancy care centres meet with real solutions and meaningful options. In very practical ways they come alongside people in need to enable them to transition well into motherhood. Attacking them as a way to show your support for abortion does nothing to empower women.
The Liberals made some aggressive pro-abortion promises in their party platform this election. Let’s hope those are some of the political promises we never see kept.