Bill C-484

I don't have a lot of interest in federal politics. I've said it before in this blog, and as much as I try to keep my nose out of it, I'll likely say it again. It's not that I'm trying to get involved, it's that the clowns at the federal level try to pull the same shit as their provincial counterparts.

So this time, I'd like to take a moment to rail against Bill C-484, the "Unborn Victims of Crime Act". It's a private member's bill introduced by Conservative MP Ken Epp (Edmonton Sherwood Park), and it's just passed Second Reading on March 5. While ostensibly a bill to amend the Criminal Code to allow separate homicide charges in attacks on pregnant women resulting in the death of a foetus, it's really a backdoor to criminalize abortion and subvert a woman's right to choose.

The bill is constructed specifically to grant a kind of personhood to a foetus, in spite of the conflict this causes with the current provisions in the Criminal Code (Section 223[1]). The bill uses anti-choice language, specifically "unborn child", and continually refers to the foetus as a "child". The kicker is Section 238.1[5], which reads "It is not a defence to a charge under this section that the child is not a human being."

The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada has an excellent page of talking points for this bill, along with a number of links to news sources discussing similar laws in the US and their consequences:

14. We can impose harsher penalties for attacks on pregnant women: Double homicide convictions result in concurrent sentences in Canada, so this bill will not mete out any greater punishment for perpetrators, making it rather pointless. Measures to achieve better justice in these tragic cases already exist. Prosecutors can recommend more serious charges, such as first degree murder or aggravated assault. Judges may impose harsher penalties, and parole boards may deny parole to convicted perpetrators. We could even pass a law mandating greater penalties for attacks on pregnant women, as has been done in 13 U.S. states (http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=135873). Alternatively, harsher penalties are already mandated under the Criminal Code's hate crime law, which would cover attacks against women because they are pregnant. Any of these measures would provide justice, while avoiding the abortion controversy and protecting the rights of all pregnant women.

If you care at all about a woman's continued right to choose, please take some action. Send your MP a letter opposing this bill (a sample letter can be found here). You can also sign the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada's online petition.