Party Stances concerning Pre-born Victims of Crime
| CONSERVATIVE | LIBERAL | GREEN | NDP | CHP |
| The Conservative Party supports legislation to ensure that individuals who commit violence against a pregnant woman would face additional charges if her unborn child was killed or injured during the commission of a crime against the mother. [10]
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The Liberal Party position is unclear.
In 2008 they opposed Bill C-484, the Unborn Victims of Crime Act by saying, “We need to protect everyone against crime but, at the same time, it happens that I believe in the rights of women to choose.”[11]
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Position unknown.
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Would not support a law that recognized the child in the womb as a victim.
Statements made by Windsor area MP Brian Masse indicate the NDP would only support stiffer sentencing.[12] |
“All Canadians deserve the protection of the law against assault. When a preborn child and his or her mother are physically assaulted and death or damage occurs, that child, as well as his or her mother, deserve the protection of the law.” (CHP leader Rod Taylor |
This chart was copied from the Association for Reformed Political Action website. (click for link)
These are questions that we could ask each political party:
Conservatives: What will you do to put a law in place to protect the unborn against violent crime? What will you do to make it so that a violent crime against the mother is also legally punishable as a crime against the life that grows inside of her?
Liberals: In 2008 your party opposed a bill that would protect unborn victims of violent crime, stating that it is more important to protect a woman’s right to choose an abortion. What will you do to protect a woman’s choice to choose life? What will you do to protect the unborn against acts of violent offences?
Green: What is your position regarding unborn victims of violent crime? Does your party acknowledge that there is a difference between a woman’s choice, and a violent criminal who takes that choice away from her? Do you or your party think it possible to differentiate between abortion and third party homicide?
NDP: It is clear that your party does not acknowledge that unborn baby can be a victim of a crime. Even though the mother has made the choice to keep her child, you maintain that it is not a person and should not have rights. What if such tragedy befell someone you planned for and loved? Would you not want a violent criminal held accountable for this aspect of the crime?
CHP: There seems to be a consensus amongst many politicians that a woman’s choice to terminate her pregnancy and an act of violence committed against her and her baby is the same action. What do you say to those that see no difference between the two?
