“Bill C-43 is a proposal to kill unborn children,” says a Campaign Life Coalition tabloid sized flyer issued in an English edition of 250.000 copies on November 10.
“Pro-life leaders from across Canada have studied the legislation and consulted with each other. From coast to coast pro-life groups are united in calling for the defeat of the legislation,” says a front-page statement.
“Bill C-43, as it is known in Parliament, would make abortion readily available across Canada. Although abortion is reintroduced into the Criminal Code, the restrictions imposed are meaningless. Abortion would become a matter between a woman and her abortionist and a woman could obtain an abortion by simply finding one agreeable doctor. The statement also says that amendments will be no help.
“The legislation is irredeemably defective and pro-life Canadians are asking Members of Parliament to defeat it. We reject the notion that efforts should be made to amend this legislation. The process of amendment is one which attempts to simply alter aspects of a bill. Any amendment must leave the basic purpose of the legislation intact. The fundamental purpose of this legislation is to provide ready access to abortion. Reviewing the legislation, it is impossible to see how it can be impossible to see how it can be redeemed without completely changing it.”
Justice Minister Doug Lewis already has indicated on several occasions that the government will not tolerate major amendments.
The movement warns against getting involved in proposing or pushing for changes in the bill. “To become involved in the amendment process could end up helping the passage of a law which is fundamentally bad. Amendments might be made which will be regarded as “improving” the legislation.
That in turn would lead some MPs to vote for what they had worked hard to “improve.” Any improvement will, however leave the bill accomplishing its fundamental purpose of providing ready access to abortion.”
Pro-lifers are asked to help with the defeat of the bill. “It can be done,” the statement says, and with its defeat “the abortion debate will continue and MPs will continue to face pressure to provide real protection for the unborn. Its passage, on the other hand, would entrench abortion on demand as law, perhaps for years to come. With legislation in place, Members of Parliament, almost all of whom are anxious, would have the powerful excuse that the matter had been dealt with and resolved.”
Already four pro-life bills have been introduced as private member bills. Every month five such private bills are drawn by lot and help for full parliamentary debate. Once a pro-life bill has been drawn, a debate would begin which would have a pro-life rather than the current pro-death thrust of the current Bill C-43.
