Liberal MPs do whatever Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition tells them to do when a child in the womb is involved. Just like their leader does. It's kind of sad. What it tells me is that Liberal MPs have a problem thinking for themselves whenever a pre-born child is involved. Whether it's a wanted child, whether it's an unwanted child, whether it's a child that is harmed or murdered along with its mother, as long as that child is in the womb, Liberal MPs and their leader follow what Joyce Arthur tells them to do.
Clearly the Liberals should have supported this bill but they did not.
Michelle Rempel Garner who is pro-choice (as opposed to pro-abortion), did support the bill because as she points out, this bill did address Arthur's concerns about previous similar bills:
"So, this year, Wagantall tabled Bill C-311, which did precisely what ARCC suggested as part of an alternative path forward in its past criticism of Bill C-225. Bill C-311's concise text is explicit. It seeks solely to amend Paragraph 718.2(a) of Canada's Criminal Code by adding the following after subparagraph (ii.1):
(ii.2) evidence that the offender, in committing the offence, abused a person whom the offender knew to be pregnant,
(ii.3) evidence that the offence caused physical or emotional harm to a pregnant victim.
Bill C-311 includes no language that changes access to abortion in any way, shape, or form. It creates no new criminal offenses at all. It states that if someone is convicted of a crime against someone they knew to be pregnant, or that crime caused physical or emotional harm to a pregnant woman during the commission of a crime, then a judge should consider these circumstances in sentencing."
Leah Gazan of Winnipeg Centre, MB actually brings up Jordan Peterson in the debate on the bill. I am not kidding.
"Madam Speaker, the member for Carleton has a history of supporting anti-choice legislation that impacts a woman's right to choose, including, now, his support of Bill C-311. He also has a history of backing up and holding up folks such as Jordan Peterson, who has spoken out aggressively against the trans community and its members' right to bodily autonomy. This is about bodily autonomy and the right to choose. It is very much a part of the debate.
When Cathay Wagantall objects to this and says:
"Madam Speaker, she is not referring to the bill at all. She is defaming and abusing—"
Unbelievably the Liberal speaker allows Gazan's remarks against Jordan Peterson.
Next Leah Gazan actually tells us why she is against the bill:
"The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada opposes this bill, saying “The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada opposes this bill and urges MPs to oppose the bill as well...The bill is redundant.” It goes on to say that the anti-choice movement is using it as a vehicle to advance fetal rights, saying, “Several anti-choice groups have been promoting this Bill C-311 as a means to recognize two victims. They are looking for a route to establish fetal personhood in law, and if this bill passes, they would leverage the bill for that purpose”."
Well then. If Arthur says blah blah blah, then clearly we Liberal MPs have our marching orders.
