Justin Trudeau, the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, recently announced that the Liberal Party will not allow anyone to run in any national election who does not pledge to vote “pro-choice” without exception.
The Liberal Party, which has been relegated to a mere thirty-five seats in the national parliament has been trying to shore up support since its disastrous outing in the most recent elections.
Although the Liberal Party has traditionally been open to different opinions on abortion, fiscal matters, and other political issues, Trudeau made it clear that there would be a unified front on the issue of murder of unborn children. Claiming that 80% of his party’s supporters agree with a “woman’s choice” on this issue, he stated plainly that candidates who elect to run on the Liberal ticket “will be expected to voice pro-choice on any bills.”
In the same press conference, Trudeau acknowledged with some sense of pride that his party has traditionally been more ideologically diverse, pointing out that there are those he considers “far right” on fiscal matters, and others who are more left of center on these issues.
His argument seems to be based on a belief that abortion is a settled issue in Canada. It is currently legal to murder an unborn child in Canada, although there is some variance between different provinces on legal aspects of abortion.
The timing of his statement is rather suspect, coming as it did so close to the March for Life on Parliament Hill. This widely-attended event has traditionally been a place for supporters of rights for the unborn to speak on the issue. In fact, Liberals have spoken at these events with regularity in the past.
LifeCanada’s Lisa Smith (listed as the group’s secretary on their website), reacted with surprise at Trudeau’s bluntness in addressing this issue. However, she also pointed out that Trudeau actually did Canadians a favor by making his position clear on the issue. In this way, voters can have a clear direction on whether or not they want to support the position that Trudeau has taken for his party.
LifeCanada was founded in 2000 and has a mission “to establish the value of human life in the hearts and minds of Canadians and their institutions”, commissioned a poll that showed a majority of Canadians (60%) supported legal restrictions on abortion. The group is also concerned with euthanasia and other pro-life concerns.
The Liberal Party is ideologically seeking a position similar to that taken by the New Democratic Party, perhaps due to recent losses at the ballot. The NDP has always been strictly pro-abortion, a position that they wrote into their party platform. Tom Mulcair, the leader of the NDP, stated that no one in his party will “vote against a woman’s right to chose”.
Although Trudeau made it clear that new candidates, who do not pledge to vote in favor of abortion on all bills, will not be allowed to run under the Liberal Party banner, he was less clear regarding those who already hold office. The party used to be home to a number of pro-life representatives, although that number has dwindled along with the party’s overall presence in Parliament.
However, two notable representatives remain: John McKay and Judy Sgro, both of whom represent Toronto. McKay anticipates “awkward moments” in the future, but has made no plans to endorse the party’s new position on abortion.
McKay pointed out that his counterparts in the Conservative Party fare little better than he does in his own party. His point certainly has merit.
The Conservative Party has not made a blanket statement banning pro-life candidates, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper and leader of the Conservative Party has made it clear that he will not fight the abortion issue in the Parliament. In fact, he has used his power to prevent pro-life candidates from introducing bills limiting abortion in Parliament.
Harper has managed to squelch any discussion on the abortion issue within his party without a mandate like his counterpart in the Liberal Party. However, the Conservative Party, which controls 160 seats in Parliament, has a large and vocal section of its caucus that are adamantly pro-life.
Trudeau also hinted that the party may make a similar stance on other “social” issues. He made it clear that there will be a litmus test for new candidates on a host of issues, stating that he will ask new people seeking to become candidates “how they feel about same-sex marriage”, as well as abortion.
In his statement concerning his party’s new prohibition on pro-life candidates, and his allusion to a future similar position on homosexual “marriage”, he referenced that his party’s potential candidates must also support the Charter of Rights and Freedom. It is interesting that he makes this statement, because the Charter of Rights and Freedom recognize two rights that seem to be at issue with his position: religious freedom and freedom of association. So, although Trudeau professes support of these principles in theory, his actions show something wholly different.
Trudeau believes abortion is a settled issue, basing this primarily on the majority support his pro-abortion policy has within his party (claiming eighty per cent), and his belief that the majority of Canadians also support abortion “rights”. Of course, LifeCanada’s polls suggest otherwise.
In Canada, supporters of the rights of the unborn have little to cheer about. The Conservative Party has expressed little interest in taking up their cause, even with a significant portion of their caucus in agreement with their position. The Liberal Party has now come out with a prohibition against pro-life candidates, and the New Democratic Party has always held a position in favor of support for abortion.
Regardless of where the issue of abortion is ultimately settled in Canada, Trudeau’s action represent a first in Canadian politics, where the leader of a party has made it clear that they will tolerate no diversity of opinion on the issue of abortion.
The future of the Liberal Party is unclear, having suffered devastating losses in the last election. They have doubled down on their position regarding abortion and have made it clear that there will be no tolerance for opposing viewpoints on this issue.
It’s just a matter of time before this undemocratic position spreads to other issues as well-something which should concern all Canadians.
