Hudak PC candidate: Female voters are "less informed"...including about control over their own bodies?

That's Wayne Wettlaufer, former PC MPP who served with Hudak and Mike Harris running to win his seat of Kitchener Centre back for the Conservatives.

Wettlaufer also must think women aren't informed enough to have control over their own bodies (also noteworthy a little guy named Tim Hudak as well several currently serving Hudak Conservative MPPs are also mentioned here)

"Several notable MPPs (all Tories) have demonstrated a commitment to respect the sanctity of life and the institution of the traditional family. Among them are Jim Brown (Scarborough Agincourt), Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln), Frank Klees (Oak Ridges), John O’Toole (Durham), Frank Sheehan (Niagara Centre), Wayne Wettlaufer (Kitchener Centre), and Bob Wood (London West). These pro-life MPPs have submitted numerous petitions to the legislature, thus bringing attention to important issues such as the need for conscience legislation, calls to eliminate taxpayer funding of abortion, the need to protect the rights of parents in areas such as health care and education, and opposition to the expansion of gambling. Without the commitment of these pro-life MPPs, these issues might not have been brought up on the floor of the legislature.

In response to the 1995 Campaign Life Coalition candidate’s questionnaire, these seven MPPs generally supported measures that would protect the unborn and regulate abortion, including ending taxpayer funding of abortuaries, consent to treatment changes and measures to provide for informed consent. Hudak...wrote, “I believe that it is the government’s role to... encourage women to carry the babies to term."  They have put their votes where their rhetoric is. Each of the MPPs voted for Bill 91, an act to provide for parental consultation under the Health Care Consent Act of 1996." 

Hudak PC's support for defunding abortion runs much deeper than a press conference

On International Day of the Girl, Tim Hudak can try to put shiny gloss on the PC Party, he can pretend his party is focused on the economy, but this is what the heart of the Hudak PC Party is, with his frontbench MPP's sponsoring a news conference supporting the defunding of abortion in Ontario. Any claims about the PC focus on jobs and the economy can't hide that the MPP's sponsoring this press conference are both of Hudak's Labour critics, and his deputy whip. You'll also remember Hudak's deputy labour critic Rick Nicholls from this blog, talking about how he  "would like to remind my non-Christian-believing friends that...you need to respect and remember that this is Canadian land and that you and/or your ancestors decided to live and conduct your form of worship here...Just don't try to mix it all in with our founding principles and say it is because of diversity"


And let's not forget Hudak's own thoughts on the matter of abortion:

"Hudak admitted last year that he had signed an anti-abortion petition"

Forget last year, here's Hudak on the record responding directly to the Campaign Life Coalition:

Even taking a look at Hudak's "Job Creation Task Force", we see the PC's anti-choice agenda, demonstrated by Monte McNaughton, Hudak's critic for Economic Development and innovation, agreeing with the statement "I support measures to stop funding abortions with taxpayers money in Ontario", according to this survey from Citizen Impact, a socially conservative pressure group, and Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Reform Critic Garfield Dunlop saying he "opposed abortion" as well as being a long-time opponent of gay marriage, calling it a "sin" and saying it would "destroy the fabric of our society."

While the Dalton McGuinty Liberals are focused on reducing the deficit and creating jobs, Tim Hudak, his "Job task force" and the PC caucus have other priorities.

Tories once again try to use back door approach to re-open abortion

Watch my Hudak Sales Tax video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYZRrlYagos

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/silver-powers/tories-table-non-abortion-abortion-legislation/article1535649/



Robert Silver points out the flawed and flimsy premise behind the latest Tory attempt to nudge abortion into the discussion, regardless of any PMO talking points. Everything the bill proposes is already in the criminal code, so as always with this sort of anti-choice rhetoric, the issue isn't protecting women, it's to tie a woman's right to choose with criminal activity as a back door way to criminalize the act of abortion. This bill is a cynical move that has nothing to do with protecting women.

Cuts to Canadian Federation for Sexual Health show Harper can't be trusted with maternal health

As a Liberal, and a member of the Pro-Choice Coalition of Ottawa, I am very pleased to see Michael Ignatieff take a stand for choice by pressuring the Prime Minister on the issue of maternal health at the G8.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/include-abortion-in-maternal-health-pledge-michael-ignatieff-tells-pm/article1453666/

"We want to make sure that women have access to all the contraceptive methods available to control their fertility because we don’t want to have women dying because of botched procedures, we don’t want to have women dying in misery.”

In the face of moves like this, it is crucial to keep the pressure up on the Harper social conservative agenda:

http://www.theinterim.com/features/ottawa-cuts-funding-for-cfsh/

An Interim investigation has found that over the past half decade, the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health has had its federal government grants cut by more than 99 per cent.
The federation, formerly the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada and still the Canadian member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, has charitable status, according to the Canada Revenue Agency. The CFSH says on its website that it “promote(s) sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and abroad.” It also admits being a “pro-choice organization.”

And just in case Harper's piano-playing ways have made anyone forget his real secret agenda, lets let his caucus speak for him:
http://www.liberal.ca/en/newsroom/media-releases/17427_liberals-ask-harper-to-keep-ideology-out-of-maternal-health-initiative

October 2009 - Brad Trost, Conservative MP, Saskatoon-Humboldt launches a Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood:“Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present in the House today petitions... They are calling upon this House to promote the values they cherish, which are Canadian values in support of pre-born life. They are particularly calling upon the Government of Canada to stop the funding of Planned Parenthood by CIDA, the Canadian International Development Agency, believing that CIDA should be concentrating on dealing with fighting poverty instead of concentrating on destroying human life.” (MP Brad Trost, Hansard, October 5, 2009)

“In Trost's opinion, the government has continued funding IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) because of ‘inertia.’ ‘The bureaucracy's done it before and no one wants to rock the boat,’ he explained. ‘... I'm encouraging people to let their voice be spoken so that the unelected government, i.e. the bureaucrats in CIDA who support Planned Parenthood, don't get to dictate where people's tax dollars go.’ He is encouraging people to write the Prime Minister and CIDA's Minister, Bev Oda. He would like those who write ‘not only to oppose it because abortion is wrong, period, but also because there's other better ways to spend ... Canadian international development aid money.” (Lifesitenews.com, November 2, 2009)

“[Conservative MP Brad Trost] presented a petition in the House calling for CIDA to stop funding IPPF saying it ‘promotes the establishment of abortion as an international human right and lobbies aggressively to impose permissive abortion laws on developing nations.’” (Saskatoon Leader Post, November 4, 2009)

Maurice Vellacott, Conservative MP, Saskatoon – Wanuskewin:“Saskatoon's doctors should be commended for the leadership they are showing by reducing the availability of abortion in our city and for supporting real alternatives for women in need.” (MP Maurice Vellacott, “Outspoken MP Slams Canada’s ‘Abortion Regime,’ LifeSiteNews.com, November 27, 2009)

“[MP Maurice Vellacott] says pro-life feminists view abortion as ‘part of a male agenda to have women more sexually available,’ and adds abortion has been used to cover up the sexual abuse of young girls.” (Saskatoon Star Phoenix, November 24, 2009)

Stockwell Day, Conservative MP, Okanagan Coquihalla:“The thinking is, if you can cut a child to pieces or burn them alive with salt solution while they're still in the womb, what's wrong with knocking them around a little when they're outside the womb?” (MP Stockwell Day arguing in 1988 that abortion leads to child abuse, Edmonton Journal, March 10, 2000).

Jim Flaherty, Conservative MP , Whitby-Oshawa:“On abortion services he [Jim Flaherty] said, ‘I would not change that status quo. Would I expand it? No. . . . I would not authorize the creation of any more clinics.’” (LifeSite Daily News, February 11, 2002)

Jason Kenney, Conservative MP, Calgary Southeast:“Mr. Harper’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has compared abortion to child abuse and slavery, saying that if politicians refuse to take a political stand against abortion, people should ‘ask them if they're personally opposed to child abuse, ask them if they're personally opposed to slavery.’” (Canadian Catholic News, May 24, 2004)

Cheryl Gallant, Conservative MP, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke:"We saw that young American (in Iraq) have his head literally cut off in front of the cameras, but what's happening down there is absolutely no different!" (MP Cheryl Gallant referring to an abortion clinic, CBC, May 13, 2004)

Garry Breitkreuz, Conservative MP, Yorkton Melville:Mr. Breitkreuz introduced Private Members Bill M-83 in the House of Commons: “That the Standing Committee on Health fully examine, study and report to Parliament on: (a) whether or not abortions are medically necessary for the purpose of maintaining health, preventing disease or diagnosing or treating an injury, illness or disability; and (b) the health risks for women undergoing abortions compared to women carrying their babies to full term.” (Private Member’s Business, voted on October 1, 2003)

“Since sending me to Ottawa in 1993, I’ve been working on two issues vital to the vast majority of my constituents – democratic reform and rights for the unborn.” (MP Garry Breitkreuz News Release, March 31, 2003)

“In 1996, Breitkreuz called for a national referendum on tax-funding for abortions.” (MP Garry Breitkreuz News Release, March 14, 1996)

Gary Goodyear, Conservative MP, Cambridge:“‘I always have hope, I'll never give up hope,’ Goodyear added after calling on anti-abortion groups to continue striving for a new law.” (The Standard, May 12, 2006)

"I'm pro-life and that's the answer to the question." (MP Gary Goodyear, Cambridge Times Friday, June 11, 2004)

Rob Nicholson, Conservative MP, Niagara Falls:“When this issue was before the House the last time I voted against the bill. I could not in good conscience give approval to something that I have always fought against in my life. I have fought for the protection of unborn children and I fought against the abortion law that was in place in Canada for many years.” (MP Rob Nicholson, Hansard, May 23, 1990)

Vic Toews, Conservative MP, Provencher:“Vic Toews told the National Pro-Life Conference on Sept. 8, 2004, in a speech entitled ‘Abuse of the Charter by the Supreme Court,’ that the right to abortion is a result of ‘activist judges’ abusing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to develop and implement their own social policy... ‘Do not look at the issue of abortion as an issue that stands alone... this issue has a much broader significance in areas related to the policy of government concerning marriage, the family, and the response of government to social problems generally.’ (Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, http://www.arcc-cdac.ca/action/conservative-danger.html)

With a government that has vocal anti-choicers in the critical positions of the Minister of Justice, Minister of State for Science, Minister of Finance, Minister of Immigration, President of Treasury Board, Minister of Public Safety and others, I applaud Michael Ignatieff for standing up for choice.

Who is lying, Stephen Harper or Dean Del Mastro?

Harper has ducked and weaved around the abortion question as much as possible, much to the dismay of the theocratic wing of his party. He killed Ken Epp's anti-abortion by stealth private members bill, and said specifically that he would not support a bill to re-open the debate on abortion. Of course, as Harper has to accept that he is stuck with a thin minority or worse, that has to be taken with a grain of salt. It seems though, that Dean Del Mastro, Conservative MP for Peterbourgh, and a point man for the In and Out scandal, disagrees:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=IWH14ljM1BM

Between 1:15 and 1:20 is where we see what the Conservatives would do with a majority government, and why they cannot even be given the chance with another minority.

"The laws will change in this country, I believe that, God Bless you all"

So who is lying, Dean Del Mastro, or Stephen Harper? What is the true Conservative position on issues like abortion, equal marriage, and other social issues that they are radically out of touch with the Canadian mainstream on?

I agree with an NDP MP, for once

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=296c9119-27eb-4e88-9bec-336b76392c32

As someone with family ties to the Windsor area, Joe Comartin is one of the few NDP MP's I personally like, and I support his lobbying efforts to expand what forms of gambling are allowed in casinos.

The Windsor-Tecumseh MP estimates it could generate as much as $3 billion in gross wagering a year.
"It's very important for Windsor and Niagara Falls, in particular, because it will give us a significant competitive advantage over the casinos on the other side of border," Comartin said Wednesday. "Given our current economic situation here, there's a potential for a reasonable number of additional jobs, both at the casino and elsewhere in the city."

Spot on, I think. Comartin mentions that he thinks the Conservatives have been harsh towards the idea because increased gambling would rub the so-con element of the party the wrong way. I find it telling that of the Windsor area MP's to be in the news today, the NDP one is helping promote ways to improve the local economy, while the Conservative MP for Essex, Jeff Watson, is harping about Morgentaler and somehow finding a way to blame Paul Martin for it while insulting the Governor General in the process.

"Today, through his appointee for governor general, Mr. Martin has succeeded in politicizing the Order of Canada and in doing so diminishing its value and undermining our culture of life."

Isn't it comforting Conservative MP's are more concerned about settled social issues and playing the base then improving local economies? At least my socially conservative Liberal MP, Paul Szabo, serves Parliament well as Ethics Committee Chairman.

Crap

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080306/canada/canada_abortion_col

As someone who considers themselves extremely pro-choice, I am very disappointed that this bill even got this far, thanks to some socially conservative Liberals, including my very own Paul Szabo. (I don't know if he was actually there to vote on it, but he would have supported it) Between this and the censorship bill passing with the help of some Liberals, I think a lot of Young Liberals (who are very opposed to both bills) feel a little sold out.

"Why I am an abortion doctor"

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=283931&p=1

In this year, the 20th Anniversary of R. vs. Morgentaler, reading this speech reminds me of why I am firmly pro-choice, and how crucial it is progressives must always win the fight against social conservatives.