Paul Tuns:
In the final week of the campaign before election day on April 28, both the Liberal and Conservative parties released their party platforms and both made commitments to either defend the abortion status quo (the Conservatives) or increase access to abortion and abortifacient contraception (the Liberals).
The Liberal platform, titled, “Canada Strong,” vowed “there will always be funding” for abortion by making permanent Justin Trudeau’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund Program.
Under the heading “Protect Women’s Rights and Prosperity” the Mark Carney Liberals promise to “Make the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund Program permanent so that there will always be funding for abortion care in Canada.” The program would fund initiatives to increase and maintain “access to reproductive care … for underserved communities.”
The Liberals also say they will establish a new in vitro fertilization program in order to make it easier for “2SLGBTQI+ Canadians” to obtain children. Carney highlighted the promise on social media, tweeting, ““If you want to become a parent, my government will help make it more affordable. We’ll introduce a new IVF funding program to help cover costs for a standard treatment cycle.” The cost of a standard treatment cycle is typically around $20,000.
Meanwhile, the Conservative platform, titled “Canada First. For a Change,” reiterated leader Pierre Poilievre’s repeated insistences that he would not limit abortion. “There will be no laws, rules or regulations passed restricting abortion,” reads the party platform.
Campaign Life Coalition director of communications Pete Baklinski tweeted: “The Conservative Party essentially stated that it will prevent members from working to end the greatest human rights violation of modern times—the murder of preborn children by abortion.”
The NDP platform makes not promises on abortion or LGBQT issues, although leader Jagmeet Singh has said during the campaign that the party is committed to expanding access to abortion.
The Green Party platform states under the rubric of “health care,” that the party will “Ensure access to reproductive care across Canada.”
The People’s Party of Canada platform makes no mention of abortion.
Only the Christian Heritage Party and United Party of Canada commits to protecting the preborn.
The CHP platform states, “We affirm that human life exists and is sacred from conception and has God-given value, regardless of race, age, gender, or physical or mental handicap,” and “We believe that the human body is the property of God, and that no one but God has the authority to terminate human life except in accord with the express provisions of the Bible.” Therefore, the CHP is opposed to both abortion and euthanasia.
The UPC platform commits the party to “completely ban abortion (except to save the mother’s life) and MAiD, remove all taxpayer funding for these procedures, and promote adoption, palliative care and life-affirming alternatives.”
