The bands have gone, the delegates have gone, the Ottawa Civic Centre is left awash with picket signs, banners, badges and other rubble, indicating the passing of the momentous Tory Leadership Convention on June 12th. That convention elected a new leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. The new leader is bilingual, well educated and handsome – but where does he stand on pro-life?
During the P.C. Leadership Convention, both Tories for Life and Campaign Life were active and persistent in questioning the candidates as well as sifting through and analyzing the mounds of material about them, seeking to find their true positions on the abortion issue.
What did we learn about Brian Mulroney, of Irish Catholic background, and grade of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia?
What we found is that Brian Mulroney is a PRAGMATIST. That is, a Catholic though he may be, and Catholic educated through he may be and although personally opposed to abortion he may be (just like another party leader, Pierre Trudeau) – Brian Mulroney will not take a pro-life stand on principle. Instead, Brian Mulroney will push on the abortion issue whichever way the political pressure indicates.
He has said publicly many times, somewhat enigmatically, he is “opposed to abortion on demand”. In MacLean’s Magazine, i.e. stated he believes in abortion for “exceptional cases”. (What’s exceptional – when the mother’s life is endangered, or when she conceives through rape, incest, or does it mean the mother is in a “difficult” situation socially and economically?)
One thing is clear: pro-life cannot count on Brian Mulroney when it comes to the pro-life cause, unless he knows that that is the way to go politically. Therefore, our work is cut out for us. Letters, letters, letters – telegrams, telegrams, telegrams – must be forwarded to Mr. Mulroney c/o National P.C. Headquarters, Suite 200, 161 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5J2.
Mr. Mulroney must know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that to loosen the abortion law is political suicide, and to tighten the abortion law is a solid political move.
Mr. Mulroney is now very vulnerable, very susceptible. He must consolidate his party behind him. One of those principles on which his party must stand is that all human life – born and unborn – will have equal protection under the law.
