On June 2, a majority of federal MPs voted against a private member’s motion, introduced by MP Gus Mitges, seeking to amend the Charter of Rights to give protection to the unborn child.
The 89 to 62 vote, which was recorded showed that 41 per cent of the MPs present in the House of Commons for the vote favored amending the Charter to protect the unborn, while 59 percent of those present were against such protection. Approximately 60 percent of those MPs eligible to vote actually voted.
As expected by pro-life political groups, the NDP MPs all voted against the motion. The majority of Liberals present also refused to cast a pro-life vote. While the majority of Conservative MPs voted in favor of the motion, none of the cabinet ministers present supported it. Notable by their absence were Prime Minster Mulroney, Health Minster Jake Epp (who had been in the House earlier in the afternoon) and Deputy Prime Minister Don Mazankowski. Liberal leader John Turner was absent for the vote and NDP leader Ed Broadbent voted against it.
Full details of the vote on the Mitges’ motion will be carried in the next issue of THE INTERIM.
