Canada – Poilievre vows not to pass abortion restrictions if elected prime minister

By Craig Lord The Canadian Press
April 11, 2025

A Conservative government would not pass any laws to restrict access to abortion, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Friday during a campaign stop in southern Ontario.

“There will be no laws or other restrictions imposed on a woman’s right to decide to do with her body as she wishes,” he said. “And that is something that I am guaranteeing to you and to all Canadians.”

Poilievre said it has been the Conservative party’s policy for 21 years that there will be no restrictions introduced on a woman’s right to choose.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/11127562/canada-election-poilievre-abortion/

11.04.2025

Canada – Exactly where do the Conservatives stand on abortion?

April 10, 2025
By Althia Raj, National Columnist

Half way through this federal election campaign and one word has yet to be uttered: abortion.

Maybe it’s because U.S. President Donald Trump continues to threaten our economy. Maybe it’s because Liberal Leader Mark Carney appears to be heading toward a win. Maybe it’s because Pierre Poilievre declared himself to be pro-choice. But so far the Conservative leader has escaped the pesky question his predecessors grappled with: how would he safeguard a women’s right to choose?

Continued: https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/exactly-where-do-the-conservatives-stand-on-abortion/article_be69d467-d037-4954-a9ac-69ea637da028.html

10.04.2025

Campaign Life Coalition

Canada – New Conservative MP Lewis to fight Liberal plan to axe charity status for anti-abortion pregnancy centres

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press

Thursday, November 25, 2021

OTTAWA -- Leslyn Lewis, in one of her first acts as an MP
on Parliament Hill, says she plans on inviting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to
a pregnancy centre that risks losing its charity status over opposing abortion.

The newly elected Ontario representative revealed her
plans to a recent crowd of demonstrators who gathered in Ottawa to rally
against the Liberal government's promise to remove charity status for
anti-abortion organizations.

Continued: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/new-conservative-mp-lewis-to-fight-liberal-plan-to-axe-charity-status-for-anti-abortion-pregnancy-centres-1.5681824

Canada – No, For Real: Is Abortion Actually An Election Issue?

Courtney Shea
Sept 17, 2021

If you caught any of the leaders debates, you may have seen Justin Trudeau call out Erin O’Toole for his lack of support for abortion. The Libs, along with numerous reproductive rights organizations, have questioned whether the Conservative Party of Canada leader’s recent “pro-choice” proclamations are legit. On the flip side, critics of the current PM say this particular abortion conversation is a giant nothing burger, and wonder why Trudeau only wants to talk about the right to choose during election cycles. Given everything going on in Texas (where they effectively banned abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy), it’s no wonder that Canadian voters are feeling anxious (and confused) in the lead up to the election.

Continued: https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/2021/09/10660266/why-is-abortion-a-federal-election-debate

Canada – Nope, Erin O’Toole is still not pro-choice

Joyce Arthur
September 14, 2021

The abortion issue is still the "stinking albatross" around the neck of the Conservative Party leader, because about 81 per cent of Conservative incumbents running in the federal election have been designated as anti-choice by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada. That includes the party leader himself, Erin O'Toole.

As I wrote one year ago, Erin O'Toole is not pro-choice. In 2016, he voted in favour of private member Bill C-225 that would have given legal personhood to fetuses, in the context of pregnant people being attacked.

Continued: https://rabble.ca/columnists/2021/09/nope-erin-otoole-still-not-pro-choice

Canada – Liberals look to push abortion as election wedge issue despite O’Toole’s pro-choice stance

Abortion is one of the key political issues where the Liberals want to distinguish themselves from the Conservatives

Anja Karadeglija
Sep 01, 2021

The Liberals are pledging to update the Canada Health Act to regulate access to abortion services across the country and to use federal health transfers as leverage to ensure provinces abide by the new rules.

The new regulations would mean “there is no question, that no matter where someone lives, that they have access to publicly available sexual and reproductive health services,” states the party’s election platform, released Wednesday.

Continued: https://www.northernnews.ca/news/politics/liberals-attempt-to-push-abortion-as-election-wedge-issue-despite-otooles-pro-choice-stance

01.09.2021

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Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

Blaine Higgs

Canada Health Act

Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Canada – Erin O’Toole’s abortion stance serves neither physicians nor women

August 30, 2021
the Conversation

Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole recently found himself at the centre of the abortion debate as he hit the campaign trail in advance of the federal election on Sept. 20.

The controversy arose when he stated he was pro-choice while simultaneously claiming that he supported the rights of physicians to deny abortions on the basis of conscience.

Continued: https://theconversation.com/erin-otooles-abortion-stance-serves-neither-physicians-nor-women-166728

30.08.2021

Commentary

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referral requirement for abortion

Canada – I’m pro-choice,’ O’Toole says as abortion issue emerges on the campaign trail

The Liberals are raising questions about 'conscience rights' in the Conservative platform

John Paul Tasker · CBC News
Posted: Aug 19, 2021

Pushing back against Liberal claims that he's just "pretending" to support a woman's right to choose, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said today he's pro-choice and a government led by him would make sure abortion services are available nationwide.

O'Toole has been clear that women should be allowed to safely end pregnancies — a position that has drawn the ire of some socially conservative members of his party. His predecessor, Andrew Scheer, described himself as "pro life."

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/erin-otoole-pro-choice-conscience-rights-1.6146200

Why Can Canadian Doctors Still Deny Access To Abortion—And Other Healthcare?

The practice of conscientious objection means doctors can refuse or deflect requests for a variety of services, including abortion—and in many provinces, they're not even obligated to provide a referral.

Tracey Lindeman
Updated July 22, 2021

Chantal had already performed all the mental gymnastics.

About eight years ago, the then-23-year-old woman from southern Alberta had accidentally become pregnant, and weighed her options. She settled on having an abortion, the best choice for her in that moment of her life. She booked an appointment with her doctor, one of only a small handful in her community, to request a referral—a requirement in Alberta then. When the time came to meet, she sat in his office and laid her cards out.

Continued: https://www.chatelaine.com/opinion/canadian-doctors-deny-access-to-abortion/

22.07.2021

Commentary

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Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

anti-choice restrictions

Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada

Bernard Dickens

Canadian Medical Association

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Catholic Church

College of Physicians and Surgeons

conscientious objection

conscientious objectors

dishonourable disobedience

Dr. Mei-ling Wiedmeyer

Erin O'Toole

Frederique Chabot

gender affirmation surgery

medical assistance-in-dying

Medical Students for Choice

House of Commons defeats bill to ban sex-selective abortion, but two thirds of Conservatives vote in favour

Brian Platt · Postmedia News
June 3, 2021

OTTAWA — A private member’s bill from a Conservative MP to ban sex-selection abortions was voted down in the House of Commons on Wednesday by a margin of 248 to 82, but about two thirds of the Conservative caucus voted in favour of it.

Conservative leader Erin O’Toole voted against the bill, but 81 of 119 Conservative MPs voted in favour. The only other “yes” vote was from independent MP Derek Sloan, the former Conservative leadership candidate who was ejected from the caucus in January.

Continued: https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/news/house-of-commons-defeats-bill-to-ban-sex-selective-abortion-but-two-thirds-of-conservatives-vote-in-favour-100595484/