The Conservative leadership race that will be decided in May 2017 has one declared pro-lifer, MP Brad Trost (Saskatoon-University), and another considering throwing his hat into the ring, former MP Pierre Lemieux (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell). Campaign Life Coalition rates them as both pro-life.

We thought there would be a third pro-lifer joining them in the race. Alas, we are profoundly disappointed with Andrew Scheer’s comments when he announced he was seeking the leadership. Scheer said he would not re-open the abortion issue. He reiterated his position on the political talk shows, insisting he was personally pro-life but that there was nothing that could be done about the issue and he wanted to focus on what unites Conservatives.

We understand politicians will act politically. The Interim, like Campaign Life Coalition, does not require candidates to plant a pro-life flag on a hill and die (a political death) for the cause. We only want them to be clear about their principles and stand up for life when the chance arises. For leadership candidates, we also want them to not stifle the freedom of their MPs to raise the issue and vote their conscience.

Despite a solid pro-life voting record, Andrew Scheer has taken the same position that former prime minister Stephen Harper took: that there should be no debate in Parliament about abortion. But we think that the better comparison is not Harper, but former New York governor Mario Cuomo, who insisted he was personally pro-life but averred that abortion was a decision between a woman and her doctor about which the state should not be involved.

If Scheer said that the courts have made it difficult (not impossible) to legislate on abortion, that his government had no interest to change the law but it would permit the issue to be raised by members of the caucus as private members’ business, Scheer would be supportable. However, with his position ostensibly closing the door to any debate about the topic, Scheer is regrettably, perhaps even unwittingly, endorsing the abortion status quo that it is a procedure that will be unencumbered by any regulation or restriction.

It is still too early to endorse a candidate; the field is not set, and candidates could shift their positions. Lemieux has yet to formally announce he is running. But we are excited about Brad Trost’s leadership bid, and you should be, too. Already during this leadership campaign, Trost has talked about social issues such as abortion, conscience rights, the danger of expanding transgender rights, and sex-ed’s imperiousness against the rights of parents as first educators. In an interview with CTV’s Evan Solomon, he said he would introduce pro-life laws such as unborn victims of violence and much needed protection for conscience rights if he were elected prime minister. Not since Tom Wappel ran for the Liberal leadership in 1990 has a leadership candidate in any of the mainstream parties run promising to address moral issues.

Pro-lifers have presented themselves for leadership before: Monte McNaugthon and Frank Klees for the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership in 2015 and 2009 respectively, and Stockwell Day for the Canadian Alliance leadership in 2000 and 2002. They were fine, supportable candidates. There have been numerous others whose pro-life views and record excited our movement to sign up en masse for their leadership bids. But in Trost, social conservatives, especially pro-lifers, have a strong leader unafraid to address our issues directly.

The Conservative leadership vote takes place next spring. Anyone interested in casting a ballot must become members before the February cut-off. It will be a preferential ballot, which means that members can rank the candidates they support (and ignore those they oppose); if there is more than one pro-lifer on the ballot, you can support them all. And voting will take place in every riding, so it only costs you the $15 membership fee to vote – no costly convention to attend.

The Trost campaign has arranged for membership forms to be distributed in this edition of the paper and bought an ad that appears on page 14. Read his message carefully and with an open mind. We strongly recommend that you take out or renew your membership with the intent of supporting Brad Trost – and any other pro-life leadership candidates – next May. But act now to ensure you are a qualified member of the party.

We rarely get the chance to support a candidate that is running on our issues. His bold and courageous stand deserves our support.