House of Commons debate
The National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC) claim a membership of more than 220 women’s groups (they do not permit individual membership) across Canada from the Peterborough rape Crisis Centre to the National Chapter of the I.O.D.E. and the Anglican Church of Canada.
Many women belong to groups which have affiliated themselves to the NAC but are unaware of the kinds of platforms adopted by the committee, which has become a high profile organization claiming to represent Canadian women. On abortion, NAC is committed to abortion on demand and supports the establishment of free standing abortion clinics across the country but the NAC position on abortion does not have the support of three million Canadian women as is claimed below. CAS
March 20 1984
ABORTION
Call for Repeal of Legislation
Ms. Margaret Mitchell (Vancouver East): Mr. Speaker, one of the major concerns of Canadian women is the inequity which exists in abortion legislation. Canada’s outmoded and unworkable 1969 abortion law does not permit freedom of conscience. This weekend the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, which represents over 3 million Canadian women reaffirmed its position that Section 251 of the Criminal Code must be repealed. The National Action Committee also endorsed the establishment of free standing clinics in safe and supportive surroundings.
The issue Mr. Speaker is choice, not pro or anti-abortion. The only way for Parliament to respect differing beliefs on this sensitive moral question is to provide for freedom of conscience. On international Women’s day the New Democrats asked the Government to repeal the abortion legislation. The Acting Minister of Justice refused to answer this question.
The majority of women in Canada are not satisfied with the policy of this Government which refuses women the right to make their own decision concerning this private medical matter. Over the past 20 years many countries regardless of political system or religious ideology have legalized abortion.
New Democrats call on the Government to increase funding for planned parenthood and youth clinics to provide birth control education and counseling and reduce the need for abortion. On behalf of the women of Canada we again call on the government to repeal.
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The Hon. Member’s time has expired.
March 23, 1984
Criminal Code
Definition of Child-Call for Amendment
Mr. Bill Blaikie ( Winnipeg-Birds Hill): Mr. Speaker, recently in Winnipeg a father was acquitted on a technicality after admitting that the had sexual intercourse with his adopted daughter. Apparently he could not be charged with having sex with his daughter because the child was born out of wedlock and is therefore a child according to the law as it now exists. The charge was changed to having sex a foster child.
Clearly this is one of those cases in which the law is an ass. Action must be taken to amend the Criminal Code to provide better protection for illegitimate and adopted children. The Attorney General of Manitoba and others have called upon the federal government to amend the Criminal Code to close this loophole. I would certainly urge it to do so as quickly as possible. I am confident there would be co-operation from all Members of the House.
