Author Topic: Canadian elections 2011 - fallouts  (Read 15852 times)

Offline Sheriff Roland

  • BetterMost Supporter
  • Moderator
  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,492
Re: Canadian elections 2011 - fallouts
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2011, 09:06:28 pm »
And so it begins.

Though these people have been having this rally for 14 years, and Harper stated categorically that any attempt to re-open the abortion issue would be defeated, as long as he remained Prime Minister ... the news coverage of this event has considerably increased & the participants are more hopeful than ever.

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/05/12/antiabortion-protesters-hope-harper-will-reopen-debate

Anti-abortion protesters hope Harper will re-open debate

OTTAWA - Thousands of protesters gathered on Parliament Hill Thursday and marched through Ottawa streets to demand the federal government outlaw abortion.

"We won't rest until, once again, a culture of life has been restored to Canada," said Jim Hughes, the National President of the Campaign Life Coalition.

The anti-abortion organization has held an annual rally in Ottawa for 14 years. Church and school groups are among those who attend every year.

During the election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government would not support opening up the abortion issue.

"The government will not bring forward any such legislation and any such legislation that is brought forward will be defeated as long as I am prime minister," Harper said.

Anti-abortion activists are not holding their breath for Harper to change the law. Instead, they are hoping newly elected MPs will lead the charge.

"Harper has never been pro-life and so we don't expect much from him," said Hughes. "We expect a lot from the backbench MPs though. We think the numbers have grown as a result of this election and we're hoping they will bring private member's bills that will begin limiting abortion and, eventually, if Mr. Harper is there as prime minister or not, the law will change."

Dozens of pro-choice supporters were also on hand during the rally, including several men.

"I just think it is a really negative thing when you start to allow governments and politicians to regulate people's bodies, particularly women's bodies when their rights have been so marginalized for so many years," said Ron Couchman, the president of a group called Men for Equality and Non-Violence.

There are no federal abortion laws in Canada but a new survey suggests Canadians may be open to a debate on the issue, which has not happened for 30 years.

According to a study conducted by Abacus Data for QMI Agency, 52% of those surveyed said they are not afraid of a public debate on abortion, while 26% believed the issue should be left alone
2015 - Toronto: Pan Am Games
2015 - Edmonton, Montréal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg: Woman's World Cup of Soccer