Vote to choose

Re- posted from thestar.blogs.com -- Broadsides by Antonia Zerbisias -- September 15, 2008

The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada has posted a tally of federal MPs' stances on women's reproductive freedoms. In part derived from research by the anti-choice Campaign Life Coalition, it suggests that a Conservative government, which attempted to eliminate any debate on abortion in the current election campaign by shelving Bill C-484, the so-called Unborn Victims Act, could curtail women's access to safe and legal abortions. And yet ...

... Campaign Life Coalition has decided to sabotage the chances of a Conservative majority victory by surveying MPs and publicizing a stupendously long list of 108 anti-abortion MPs, most of them Conservatives. Actually, the list comprises those who oppose the awarding of the Order of Canada to Dr. Henry Morgentaler, but it’s safe to assume that MP’s who take a public position against the award have a problem with abortion rights.

This is in defiance of the sentiments of most Canadians since one of the few reputable polls done (Ipsos Reid, July) found that 65% of Canadians support the Order of Canada award for Dr. Morgentaler.

The large increase of known anti-choice MPs in Parliament spells trouble for abortion rights if Harper wins a majority Conservative government. We could easily be looking at a new Parliament with a clear majority of anti-choice MPs. Not only will they have the power to pass anti-abortion bills, they can be counted upon to use it. Prior to the election call, at least three private member bills were in play, which would either restrict abortion or endanger abortion rights. These bills will probably be re-introduced in the next session, along with a government bill making pregnancy an aggravating factor in assaults on women. We have not seen the wording of this latter bill, and some women’s groups fear it could also lead to restrictions on women’s rights.

Further, the Liberal caucus harbours a frightening number of anti-choice MPs – more than a quarter of them - 28%, compared to the 20% known in 2006. Stéphane Dion needs to make clear to his MPs and candidates that the Liberal Party is officially pro-choice. He must rein in his anti-choice MPs by requiring them to vote against anti-abortion bills, or at least absent themselves from abortion-related votes.

Ah well. If they eliminate abortion rights, I guess single parents can work and find daycare for their children on the Conservatives' $25 weekly child tax benefit.

Incidentally, today Harper announced maternity and parental benefits for self-employed Canadians.

Harper said the proposed system would be voluntary. Self-employed Canadians would opt in to pay premiums and, in return, would be eligible for the same type of benefits as other Canadians.

They would have to opt-in at least six months prior to making a claim.

More than 2.6 million Canadians are self-employed, one-third of which are women, Harper said.

Harper's policy details were not available. The party says exact premium amounts and payment levels would be set upon implementation, after a review by a new EI Insurance Financing Board.

Harper said his goal was to help Canadians achieve the balance between work and family. [Or, keeping women out of the workforce - ed.]

Harper did not extend similar benefits to adoptive parents, who currently qualify for nine months of benefits, not one-year of paid leave. He did not explain the rationale, except to say "that is a different matter." He said his plan was intended to help entrepreneurs and small business people," and cited "other" things his government has done, presumably meaning facilitating citizenship for internationally adopted children, and incorporating tax credits for adoption expenses.

All very nice but the businesswomen I know can't walk away from the shop or office, to stay home for more than a couple of weeks.

Strangely, the Conservatives didn't seem to note that in Quebec, participation of the self-employed is mandatory.

What's more, if the benefits don't extend to adoptive parents -- and adoption is always the option that the anti-choicers advocate -- then I would expect that the Campaign Life Coalition will be complaining about this bias against adoptive parents.

Right?

The real issue, according to the NDP, so many women work part-time anyway, not meeting the minimum threshold of 360 hours, that they can't collect EI if they lose their jobs, or take time to raise the children the Cons value so much. As a result, 68 per cent of women simply don't qualify.