We Need a Law hopes to re-open the debate and put limits in place
As the abortion debate heats up in the U.S., Canadian pro-life activists are hoping the issue gets more press on this side of the border.
“Let’s re-open the abortion debate and make a bill,” said Mike Schouten, executive director of We Need a Law.
The Canadian organization advocates for creating laws that would limit abortion in Canada. There is currently no legislation on the books, meaning abortion is allowed through all nine months of pregnancy without exceptions.
“Canada is an outlier among every single nation in the world,” Schouten said.
For example, France, Spain, and Germany ban abortion after 12 weeks. There are some exceptions, such as grave danger to the mother’s health, or severe physical or mental illness in the unborn child.
According to Schouten’s website, Canada is the only democratic country without restrictions on abortion. Its absolute lack of limits on abortion puts it in the company of North Korea and China.
“It’s about time to have a conversation about that.”
This year, We Need a Law plans to advocate for an International Standards Abortion Law in Canada. The organization’s director imagines such a law could impose limits on abortion, around 12 or 13 weeks, and mandate counselling for the mother.
Schouten realizes the proposal might not sit well with all pro-lifers, some of whom want a more comprehensive law.
“Many of the pro-life bills that have been brought forward in the past (were) good, like Cassie and Molly’s Law for unborn victims of crime, and one by Mark Warawa on gendercide.”
Unfortunately, he said, those bills were “easy for the other side to vote against,” because they appeared too pro-life in a society that considers the debate closed.
He believes We Need a Law’s initiative will find support because the legal vacuum on abortion is out of touch with what Canadians actually think.
A 2011 Environics poll found 58 per cent of respondents thought abortion should be illegal in the second trimester, while 77 per cent said it should be illegal in the third trimester.
It also found 92 per cent of Canadians opposed abortion on the basis of gender.
“Clearly, our laws are not lining up with the reality of what Canadians either believe or want, and we need to work to change this.”
John Hof, head of United for Life B.C., said Schouten’s organization should be “admired and supported” for its efforts.
“We Need A Law is a wonderful breath of fresh air badly needed in the pro-life movement in Canada,” he said.
“Working with all pro-life groups and ministries is the key to achieving changes in Canada’s diabolical situation of having absolutely no protection for even one pre-born child.”
He added that pro-life groups in the U.S. have provided “a clear roadmap” on changing the tone of Canada’s abortion debate.
