I was evaluating an essay submitted for a history award by a grade ten student on how Canadian legislation enacted in the 1969s under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau contributed to his vision of a Just Society. I was reminded that abortion was one of the issues his Liberal government removed from the Criminal Code of Canada along with homosexual behaviour. By making it not criminal, abortion became a medical decision. Not to say it was all plain sailing from there. There are still demonstrations, doctors assaulted, lack of facilities in some locations, but for most of us this has redefined and normalized the procedure.
With what Americans are going through some people worry now that it is in a gray area where it is not illegal but neither declared legal. But do we need a law to make access to appendectomies or other medical procedures legal? Even our former Conservative by name, Conservative by nature Prime Minister Stephen Harper stayed away from that issue. We are okay as long as Justin Trudeau or a Liberal or NDP replacement stays in power but we may have a fight if the shortly to be elected, righter than right Conservative leader gains control. When his supporters shout freedom it turns out the freedom is only about males. Sometimes people are talked into thinking change is desirable while parties are careful not to explain fully what changes are in their master plan.
Up-dating this news. Unfortunately Pierre Polievre did get elected as leader of the Conservative Party in Canada. The party that used to formally be called the Progressive Conservative Party, but no more. The leader used to go out and have friendly chats with the truck drivers who were part of the “Freedom Convoy” that invaded downtown Ottawa for several weeks a few years ago, harassing residents and releasing a Constitution that the three leaders were go8ng to 8mpose when they took over the government.
Now one of the very right ring majority Members of Parliament has proposed a Bill that would give personhood to embryos and criminalize damage. Polievre says he will support it because now he is riding their little wav3 of supporters. The Bill does not have the support of the House, so wont pass. This time.
I completely agree - once we start legislating when women can get an abortion, first we are making laws about something that should be simple medical care (like removing a burst appendix - no law necessary, doctors will just do it if you need it) and second, it will put some women outside the permitted exceptions. No one has an abortion on a whim at 30 weeks, but I feel increasingly like we need to stake out the ground which says, 'Who cares if they do? So what?' No one should have to remain pregnant if they don't want to be, and the number of women in the first few weeks of pregnancy who don't want a baby totally eclipses the miniscule, insignificance number who have late abortions (and who cares if they abort late anyway, because who gets to decide if your reason for the abortion is good enough?).
Sigh. So very true; if only this could be the end result of this crisis. I fear it requires more than our Democratic politicians have shown they're capable of. Or perhaps the failing really is in the deep-rooted misogyny of the American electorate instead. Either way I would desperately love to be proven wrong and delightfully surprised.
I was evaluating an essay submitted for a history award by a grade ten student on how Canadian legislation enacted in the 1969s under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau contributed to his vision of a Just Society. I was reminded that abortion was one of the issues his Liberal government removed from the Criminal Code of Canada along with homosexual behaviour. By making it not criminal, abortion became a medical decision. Not to say it was all plain sailing from there. There are still demonstrations, doctors assaulted, lack of facilities in some locations, but for most of us this has redefined and normalized the procedure.
With what Americans are going through some people worry now that it is in a gray area where it is not illegal but neither declared legal. But do we need a law to make access to appendectomies or other medical procedures legal? Even our former Conservative by name, Conservative by nature Prime Minister Stephen Harper stayed away from that issue. We are okay as long as Justin Trudeau or a Liberal or NDP replacement stays in power but we may have a fight if the shortly to be elected, righter than right Conservative leader gains control. When his supporters shout freedom it turns out the freedom is only about males. Sometimes people are talked into thinking change is desirable while parties are careful not to explain fully what changes are in their master plan.
Up-dating this news. Unfortunately Pierre Polievre did get elected as leader of the Conservative Party in Canada. The party that used to formally be called the Progressive Conservative Party, but no more. The leader used to go out and have friendly chats with the truck drivers who were part of the “Freedom Convoy” that invaded downtown Ottawa for several weeks a few years ago, harassing residents and releasing a Constitution that the three leaders were go8ng to 8mpose when they took over the government.
Now one of the very right ring majority Members of Parliament has proposed a Bill that would give personhood to embryos and criminalize damage. Polievre says he will support it because now he is riding their little wav3 of supporters. The Bill does not have the support of the House, so wont pass. This time.
I completely agree - once we start legislating when women can get an abortion, first we are making laws about something that should be simple medical care (like removing a burst appendix - no law necessary, doctors will just do it if you need it) and second, it will put some women outside the permitted exceptions. No one has an abortion on a whim at 30 weeks, but I feel increasingly like we need to stake out the ground which says, 'Who cares if they do? So what?' No one should have to remain pregnant if they don't want to be, and the number of women in the first few weeks of pregnancy who don't want a baby totally eclipses the miniscule, insignificance number who have late abortions (and who cares if they abort late anyway, because who gets to decide if your reason for the abortion is good enough?).
Sigh. So very true; if only this could be the end result of this crisis. I fear it requires more than our Democratic politicians have shown they're capable of. Or perhaps the failing really is in the deep-rooted misogyny of the American electorate instead. Either way I would desperately love to be proven wrong and delightfully surprised.