Paul Tuns:

During a podcast interview with Olivier Primeau released on April 9, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said a Conservative government would not legislate on abortion or euthanasia.

During the French-language interview, Poilievre said of abortion, “We will defend women’s freedom of choice.” He elaborated, “we will never change the law on abortion, we have already adopted … a policy for the Conservative Party 20 years ago saying that we will never change the rules or laws to restrict abortion.”

Poilievre pointed to the fact that the Harper government from 2006 through 2015 did not enact restrictions on abortion as proof that he could be trusted not to limit abortion.

Hammering the point, Poilievre said, “I can guarantee that a Conservative government will never allow the law to be changed to restrict the freedom of choice for women.”

Primeau responded that his pro-abortion listeners will be “extremely happy to hear” that Poilievre would not legislate limits on abortion.

Pro-lifers were not happy with Poilievre’s comments. Campaign Life Coalition director of communications Pete Baklinski on X, formerly Twitter, said, “Here’s exactly why pro-life Canadians are so disappointed with @PierrePoilievre. He has completely thrown preborn babies under the bus in his quest for power.”

Baklinski noted that Poilievre, earlier in his career, was “pro-life and was even green-lighted” by the pro-life group. “He jettisoned his values when he deemed it politically expedient to do so,” Baklinski said. “He’s just another power-hungry politician who tramples on the right to life of the preborn in an attempt to gain power.” He added, Poilievre “champions killing preborn babies in his grasp for power.”

In the next week, Poilievre would reiterate his pro-abortion position at least two more times.

On the campaign trail in Windsor, Ont., on April 11, he said that “I can guarantee you there will be no laws restricting abortions, when I am Prime Minister,” noting that it has been party policy since 2004 that a Conservative Party would not introduce legislation on abortion. He stressed, “there will be no law or other restrictions on a woman’s right to do with her body what she wishes.”

During the French-language debate on April 16, Poilievre was asked by the moderator whether he would support abortion and free contraception. The Conservative leader replied, “we will not eliminate that.” He elaborated, “I have a message for Canadian women who are watching: we will not pass legislation that would restrict the right to abortion,” saying it was a “guarantee I make to you.”

That debate saw all four leaders commit to abortion, with the Liberals continuing to attack Poilievre over his phantom pro-life position as Liberal leader Mark Carney said he was concerned that the Conservative Party would use the notwithstanding clause to restrict abortion. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh added that the NDP would not allow “backsliding” on abortion and took credit for pressing the Liberal government to bring in a pharmacare program that covers birth control, while promising more access to abortion and contraception. BQ leader Yves-François Blanchet said he would not allow any MP in his caucus to introduce a bill that limits abortion.

Jonathan Van Maren wrote at LifeSiteNews, “Poilievre presumably believes that ten years of Liberal rule has been so brutal for social conservatives that they will turn up nonetheless.”

Mike Schouten of We Need a Law said his organization was “deeply disappointed by Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre’s recent remarks affirming his commitment to not pass any laws restricting abortion if elected Prime Minister.” We Need a Law spokesman Anna Nienhuis said, “Poilievre’s stance reveals the troubling reality that he views the lives of pre-born children as a political liability rather than a responsibility.”

Van Maren lauded the Conservatives for at least staking out a position against expanding euthanasia for patients suffering solely from mental illness.

On April 12, Poilievre said in Ottawa, that he would he would not rollback Canada’s permissive euthanasia regime. “People will continue to have the right to make that choice,” he said. He defended the status quo, committing to not expanding eligibility for Medical Assistance in Dying. “We are not proposing to expand Medical Assistance in Dying beyond the existing parameters.”

Association for Reformed Political Action (APRA) policy analyst Daniel Zekveld said, “It is unclear whether Poilievre’s answer applies to the already-legislated but not-yet-in-effect expansion of MAID to people with mental illness as their sole underlying condition, scheduled to take effect March 2027.” Furthermore, Zekveld said, Poilievre’s statement “suggests he would not tighten eligibility requirements.”

ARPA said that all party leaders “should clarify their stance on the U.N. Committee’s report and recommendations” which condemned Canada’s euthanasia regime as it relates to people with disabilities.

Gunnarson said Poilievre is “doing himself no favours thumbing his nose at God and trying to be Liberal-lite on moral issues.”