It’s Not The Time For Opening The Abortion Debate

I don’t say that as someone who more or less supports the concept of limited abortion rights, nor do I deny there is a strong socially conservative movement that has been waging battle for a chance to open the abortion debate for years. It is certainly within the constitutional freedoms of Canadians to seek out the kind of laws and legislation that they believe in, even when, in this case, it happens to impinge upon the personal freedom of other Canadians. But this is not the time to open the abortion debate again. In fact it’s not even remotely appropriate for a myriad of reasons.

The first reason is obvious. Stephen Harper. This isn’t a man who has governed under the banner of ideological conservatism, either socially or fiscally, and he hasn’t shown any signs of changing that attitude. Some people, on both sides, believe he has an underlying belief system that will come to the fore when, or if the Party receives a majority mandate. I don’t actually believe Stephen Harper is an ideological man, but I concede that a majority government would likely garner a more conservative styled government. But the painfully evident fact that Stephen Harper’s grasp on power is tenuous at best, as a little thing called “prorogation” should remind us of, should tell us that the last thing the party needs right now is to start scaring up support for the coalition with talk about opening the abortion debate.

So can and will the M.P.’s in Parliament ignore the will of their leader on this issue and attempt to create a wedge of their own principled accord? That remains to be seen. Quasi-abortion bills, like C-484 [which I supported], shows that it can be done. But even C-484 was explained in a very delicate manner that insisted the rights of women to choose would not be compromised, and it still met with fierce opposition from critics. And now that Conservative for Winnipeg South, Rod Bruinooge, has come out with an article that seeks to bring the abortion issue into the light, it would seem that Stephen Harper will certainly have his hands full on damage control. Rod Bruinooge has been elected chair of the Parliamentary Pro-Life Caucus, which is supposed to be a multi-partisan campaign to bring about a pro-life wedge in the House of Commons. I acknowledge this is a perfectly legitimate and democratic attempt to bring about discussion on the issue.

But aside from the fact that it will damage the Conservatives politically, strengthen the near-dead coalition, and alienate Stephen Harper from a party that usually tows the line, there are other reasons, provided by a Conservative, to reconsider this at present:

As a partisan and strategic move, the last thing the Tories need is to embrace this suggestion. The Conservatives’ platform explicitly refused to support any law which would limit the right to an abortion, and Harper seemed fine with that. Not only would moving on this issue constitute an actual breaking of a promise to add on to what everyone only thinks are broken promises (e.g. election dates), but it would reinforce this idea that the Tories are “mean” and “ideological” governors right when those criticisms are gaining traction.

There is a very strong, and that may be an understatement, pro-life movement among conservative bloggers, and for evidence of this you need look no further than today’s article by Joanne. I have every respect for her views, and those of her contributors, and she is merely expounding on a firm belief that a great deal of Canadians want to have a frank and honest and open discussion about abortion. And one day, so will I. But what I, as a non-partisan blogger who did happen to vote Conservative last election do not understand, is why Joanne and her many avidly partisan Conservative readers would want to jeopardize what seems to me a very tenuous grasp on power that the government currently enjoys. If I were a partisan who believed in victory at any cost, and I think Mr.Harper very much fits that bill to a “T”, the last thing I should want right now is my supporters carrying the torch [and pitchforks] on this clearly very divisive wedge issue.

CLARIFICATION-DATE

I wanted to clarify that Joanne’s readers are not all avidly partisan, nor are they all pro-life, and I did not intend to characterize her blog in that manner. Reading through the comments just now I can spot about four or five of her regulars who think broaching this issue would be a mistake.

Also see: Warren Kinsella, an open supporter of Michael Ignatieff, has the long knives out for the Conservatives [Link]

And from Trusty Tory: Keep the Wingnuts Quiet

“Brian Mulroney allowed this sucker to die for a reason. It’s political suicide and opens a pandora’s box of technicalities.”