Ed Broadbent, NDP
Supports party platform calling for abortion on demand and abortion clinics.
Brian Mulroney, PC
In March, 1984 at a meeting organized by the Advisory Council on the Status of Women in Ottawa, Mr. Mulroney stated that he did not favour removing abortion from the Criminal Code.
On May 15, 1984, Mr. Mulroney attended a luncheon which was part of a series called “Luncheons with the Leaders” organized by feminists’ groups in Toronto. There were more than 2300 women present when he was asked directly whether he was in favour of removing abortion from the Criminal Code. He responded without hesitation that he was not in favour of it.
During the televised leadership debate of July 25, 1984, the PC leader after a moment’s hesitation, indicated he would “go with the present law.”
John Turner, LIB
After declaring his candidacy for the leadership, Mr. Turner reminded Barbara Frum in an interview on CBC’s Journal (March 16, 1984.) “You know that I am one of the architects of the abortion amendment. It is a fair compromise.”
On June 15, 1984, at the Liberal Party convention during the Women’s Issues Workshop, he repeated his claim of responsibility for the present abortion law. He went on to justify the present law saying it is the best accommodation that can be made and that his government, if elected, will work with provincial attorneys-general to see that the abortion law will be “equally applied.”
Mr. Turner, then, hopes to provide abortion facilities where local communities have refused to have them until now.
