Loss of pro-life motion “an encouraging defeat”
OTTAWA, ON—Pro-lifers are not at all discouraged by the sound rejection of a motion calling for a review of the legal definition of a human being. On the contrary, they believe it has laid the foundation for future successes.
"It's an encouraging defeat, because it has certainly accomplished a big part of its purpose," says Alexandra Jezierski, who lives near Windsor, Ontario. "Thousands of Canadians are talking about the issue, and they're learning about it as well as taking action. And I think they will continue to do so."
In March, Jezierski, who is only 17, launched Letters4Life, a national organization dedicated to generating grassroots support for pro-life causes. It succeeded in flooding Parliament Hill with 116,000 letters and e-mails urging MPs to vote for the motion.
MPs also received a further 25,000 e-mails sent through the website of WeNeedaLAW.ca, another new pro-life group based in Surrey, B.C.
"There's momentum building for an abortion law in Canada," says director Mike Schouten. "We've observed that Canadians can actually talk about this. We've reached that stage of political maturity. If we're not there yet, we're well on our way there."
Andrea Mrozek, who blogs at ProWomanProLife, agrees. "There's more communication than before, there's more attempts to be professional about it, and there's more groups, which is always great," she says. "In due course we're going to have a more pro-life culture."
In his motion, M-312, Ontario Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth urged the House of Commons to endorse setting up a committee to re-examine the Criminal Code section that denies human rights to children in the womb. It was defeated by a vote of 203-91.
Ten of those voting in favour were Cabinet ministers, including Rona Ambrose, minister for Status of Women. Prime Minister Stephen Harper refused to support the motion.
"I think it will go down in history as an embarrassing moment for our country. But it's also been for us a call to action," says Jezierski.
Another positive result from M-312 is "it drew attention to the fact that there is no abortion law in Canada. That's something that's still kind of unknown," says Mrozek.
At first, Nicky Moody, the founder of Peace for Life, a pro-life group in Dawson Creek, B.C., was disappointed that M-312 had been defeated. But no longer.
"It took William Wilberforce 20 years and nine bills [to abolish slavery in the British Empire]," she says. "He knew that if it passed early on, the government could just change it back. It really did require time for a societal change to happen. It's the same here."
Schouten says the progress made in support of M-312 shows the "political prudence" of pro-lifers not getting ahead of Canadians on the abortion issue, while at the same time seeking to educate them. Such a strategy, he insists, is "by no means a compromise."
Now there is a new motion that builds on the momentum created by M-312. Sponsored by B.C. Conservative MP Mark Warawa, M-408 calls for a ban on abortions prompted by the gender of an unborn child. It will likely come up for debate in the spring.
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