Justin Trudeau Canada women's right to choose anti-choice
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Trudeau blasts 81 Conservatives for not protecting women’s right to choose

by Lorraine Carpenter

Social conservatives still wasting time on a non-issue.


Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau has reacted to 81 Conservative Members of Parliament voting in favour of Bill C-233, which he described as anti-choice legislation that would limit a woman’s right to choose. The private member’s bill, brought forward by Saskatchewan MP Cathay Wagantall, would have criminalized abortion sought solely on the grounds of a child’s genetic sex. Though the bill clearly had little chance of passing, and no MPs have come out in defence of the notion of sex-selection abortions, the legislation was viewed as a stealth way to introduce abortion restrictions.

Trudeau had some harsh words for the Conservative Party.

“81 members of the Conservative Party voted in favour of anti-choice legislation today. It is completely unacceptable that they will not support, protect or defend a woman’s right to choose. Our government always has — and always will.”

—Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau released his statement on Twitter, where he retweeted the Minister for Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef, who is calling on Conservative leader Erin O’Toole to “show leadership and ask his caucus not to support the bill.” Monsef also noted that this is the seventh time since 2007 that Conservatives have brought forward legislation to limit a woman’s right to choose.

Trudeau blasts 81 Conservatives for not protecting women’s right to choose

O’Toole was among the Conservatives who voted against the bill. All of the Conservative MPs in Quebec also voted against the anti-choice legislation. The bill was defeated in the House of Commons, with 82 in favour and 282. Two thirds of the Conservative party (81 out of 119) voted in favour of Bill C-233, as did independent MP Derek Sloan, a former Conservative member.

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by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.