Canada
Political pundit Lawrence Martin wrote two columns for iPolitics.com and the Globe and Mail focusing on Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s “evangelical creed as being at the root of much of Conservative policy-making” in which he compared Harper’s membership in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church to “Mackenzie King’s table-rapping séances and spiritualism” … Womanspace is launching an initiative to attack M-312, a private member’s motion put forward by Stephen Woodworth (CPC, Kitchener-Center) which if passed would have Parliament re-examine the status of the preborn child in criminal law. Womanspace garnered coverage from the state broadcaster and Canadian Press when it announced it is asking women to knit and crochet women’s reproductive organs to send to MPs. Womanspace spokeswoman Jenn Prosser explained: “People do different colors, but pink has been the dominant colour for the obvious reasons. But it’s also a little bit funny to be sending a pink uterus to a male member of parliament who wouldn’t feel comfortable holding one” … Conservative MP Mark Warawa (Langley) has reiterated his support for M-312 while also expressing support for Prime Minister Harper’s position of avoiding the issue of abortion. Warawa, who has a Campaign Life Coalition rating of “pro-life, pro-family” said he supports the nuanced position of the government not bringing forth moral issues but backing the party’s position that private member’s be allowed to do so … In Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial New Democratic Party, which is one seat shy of Official Opposition status, has called on the Progressive Conservative government of Kathy Dunderdale to add gender identity as a prohibited ground of discrimination under its Human Rights Act … Embassy magazine reports that the federal government could formally announce the launch of its religious freedom office later this Fall, and that naming an ambassador to head it is holding up its official opening.
United States
Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for president who has a mixed record on abortion and same-sex “marriage” chose Rep. Paul Ryan (Wisc.), who is solidly pro-life and pro-family as his running mate … The Republican Party platform’s plank on “The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life,” was not finalized when The Interim went to press but next-to-final drafts included a constitutional Right to Life amendment, opposition to taxpayer-funding of abortion, stronger regulations on abortion facilities, and rejection euthanasia and assisted suicide … Rep. Todd Akin is the pro-life Republican senatorial candidate in Missouri and he created a stir when he was asked if he opposed abortion even in cases of rape and incest. Akin said he did not support any exception even in cases of “legitimate rape.” Akin sponsored a bill in Congress that called for defunding abortions excepting cases of “forcible” rape. Republican leaders distanced themselves from Akin with party chairman Reince Priebus calling for him to step aside to let someone else run. A Rasmussen poll showed a 20-point swing from Akin’s favour (up by 11) to Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill (up by 10) who is pro-abortion, following the interview and extensive national media attention. While the media attacked Akin for his supposedly “extreme” abortion position, his so-called controversial comments were actually about gradations of legal rape, not abortion … The Democratic Party is trying to paint the Republicans as waging a “war on women” because of their opposition to abortion and publicly funded contraception. Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sought to describe the motivation for Republican’s pro-life and pro-family views: “Some Republicans really do hate their mothers and their ex-wives” … Scheduled featured speakers at the Democratic National Convention include Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parent Action Fund; Nancy Keenan, president of the NARAL Pro-Choice America; and Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown University student who testified before Congress in favour of federal funding of birth control.
International
Pro-life activists in Poland were arrested for displaying graphic images at an annual festival. Mariusz Dzierzawski, founder of the Warsaw-based PRO Foundation said: “Recently we have organized scores of pro-life exhibitions and rallies. The abortionists simply can’t stand it. They are trying to stop us using the police. We are facing an assault on free speech and the freedom of public debate. We are going to defend this freedom” … … Christina Summers of Britain’s Green Party was ordered to face a party disciplinary panel for her opposition against same-sex “marriage.” Summers said that she supported gay rights and civil partnerships but is not in agreement with changing the definition of traditional marriage … English writer Lynn Beisner stated in The Guardian that she wished her mother had aborted her; not because she wished she had never been born but because she loves her mother and “wants the best for her.”