People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader Maxime Bernier announced that he’d propose a bill in Parliament that aims to ban late-term abortions — if he wins his bid for a federal seat.
Bernier announced his bid for Manitoba’s Portage–Lisgar June 19 by-election last week. A win would give the PPC its only seat in Parliament.
“I will table at the first available opportunity the Protection of Preborn Children Act, a private member’s bill to amend Section 287 of the Criminal Code,” he said on Wednesday.
“The bill would limit the legal availability of abortion to 24 weeks maximum, and outlaw late-term abortions unless the mother’s life or health are at risk, there has been rape or abuse, or if the baby has a lethal abnormality or no brain function,” he added.
Bernier notes how other western countries have abortion regulations/restrictions
Bernier noted that most Western countries have some regulation on abortion – even those that promote themselves as pro-choice.
“Most have restrictions starting in the second trimester, and late-term abortions are not allowed anywhere,” he said.
He further pointed to an Angus Reid poll that indicated the majority of Canadians (51%) support some restrictions on late-term abortions. But he said the “fake conservatives” don’t speak up for these Canadians.
Bernier criticizes the Conservatives for shying away from the abortion debate
“Even allegedly pro-life Conservative MPs are not allowed by their leader to debate this issue. Pierre Poilievre has repeatedly said he is pro-choice and he doesn’t want to reopen this debate,” Bernier said.
Bernier believes just one seat in Parliament is all it would take to affect change in Canada – not just on abortion laws but other issues as well, such as increased protections for Canadians against medical coercion.
He drew comparison with the The Reform Party which first entered Parliament in 1989 with just a single seat after a by-election win.
“In the subsequent general election in 1993, 51 more MPs were sent to Ottawa. The following election saw them become the official opposition,” a PPC statement read.
