Canada M-590, the non-binding motion put forward by Conservative MP Ed Komarnicki (Souris – Moose Mountain) stated, in full, “in the opinion of the House, all Members of Parliament should be allowed to vote freely on all matters of conscience.” It passed 273-1, with the lone vote against cast by Government Whip Gordon O’Connor (Carleton – Mississippi Mills). During the debate on [...]
Canada The Ryerson Student Union unanimously rejected an application by Students for Life for club accreditation. Students for Life said they were informed that the RSU is against groups that “promote misogynist views toward women and ideologies that promote gender-inequity.” RSU president-elect Cormac McGee told The Ryersonian that the club could be accredited if it met certain unnamed conditions ... The Parole [...]
Canada During the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership debate in London, Monte McNaughton repeatedly brought up the issue of parental rights in education, referring to “parents as first educators.” Christine Elliott stressed the party should be “fiscally conservative and socially compassionate” ... Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that Ontario would enforce tough new federal strictures against prostitution after musing that the province would [...]
Canada Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, the government’s anti-prostitution bill that outlaws the buying of sex rather than focus on the selling of sexual services, passed the Senate and awaits approval from the Supreme Court of Canada. The bill passed “on division” meaning senators agreed that the majority of the Senate supported it, although there was no [...]
Canada Liberal leader Justin Trudeau told the CBC that Prince Edward Island should start doing abortions. He urged Islanders to ask whether “the Canada Health Act is being respected and that Canadians have the opportunity to make choices about their own reproductive health.” The CHA does not require that abortions be paid for or carried out in any province. Health Minister Doug [...]
Canada The Globe and Mail reports that the federal government will “fast track” Bill C-36, their proposed law to rein in the sex trade in response to the Supreme Court of Canada throwing out the existing Criminal Code restrictions on prostitution last December. The government is seeking to penalize the purchasers of sex rather than the sellers, based on the “Nordic Model” [...]
Canada The Alberta Progressive Conservatives will have their leadership election during two rounds of voting on Sept. 6 and, if no one wins a majority, Sept. 20. Former MP Jim Prentice, who is socially liberal, leads in the polls. Former provincial cabinet ministers Thomas Lukaszuk and Ric McIver are also running. McIver has a pro-family history as city councillor and MLA but [...]
Canada Artur Pawlowski, leader of the non-denominational Street Church in Calgary, said MLA and former Alberta cabinet minister Ric McIver “is still the best choice of Albertans” in the provincial Progressive Conservative leadership race. McIver was condemned for participating in the March for Jesus organized by the Street Church because the church criticizes homosexuality. Pawlowski said McIver’s rivals are not pro-family. Of [...]
Canada Jodie Emery, an advocate of the legalization of marijuana and wife of Marc Emery, who is serving a U.S. sentence for distributing marijuana through the mail, confirmed she has been approached by the Liberal Party of Canada to be their candidate in Vancouver East to face NDP MP Libby Davies. Emery said her candidacy “would basically be to say, ‘the Liberals [...]
Canada On May 8 NDP MP Niki Ashton (Churchill), critic for women’s affairs, tabled Motion-510 affirming abortion rights that read: “In the opinion of the House … a woman’s right to choose abortion is a fundamental question of equality and human rights, both in Canada and around the world.” But a week after announcing the motion, the NDP dropped their bid to [...]
Canada On April 1, NDP MP Charlie Angus’ motion M-456, seconded by Conservative pro-life MP Maurice Vellacott and seven other MPs, to create a national palliative care strategy had its first hour of debate in Parliament. “Support for human dignity and quality of life, with investments in pain management and other palliative tools, is where the Canadian conversation should go,” Vellacott told [...]
Canada Alberta Progressive Conservative Premier Alison Redford resigned on March 19 following a caucus revolt over extravagant travel expenses including a $45,000 tab to attend Nelson Mandela’s funeral in December. Redford, who became leader and premier in 2011 and was elected in 2012, supports legal abortion and same-sex “marriage,” and came out against conscience rights in the 2012 provincial campaign … For [...]
Canada The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the Canadian Association of Radiologists both said an updated policy statement on ultrasounds is necessary with an eye to stop using the technology to determine the gender of the unborn child or for non-medical purposes. “This technology should not be used for the sole purpose of determining fetal gender without a medical [...]
Canada Pro-life MP Rob Anders is once again facing a challenge from the Red Tory wing of the party for the Conservative nomination in his riding. Ron Liepert, a former provincial finance minister, announced he would challenge the incumbent in Calgary-Signal Hill, a new riding that makes up most of Calgary West, the riding Anders has held since 1997. Liepert’s supporters launched [...]
Canada Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth (Kitchener Centre) announced on Nov. 20 that he will introduce a new motion in Canada’s Parliament to promote respect for all human beings before the law. A media advisory stated the motion will “focus on legal recognition of the equal worth and dignity of every human being.” In 2012, by a 91-203 vote, the House of Commons [...]