Because God Knows the Pro-Abortion Lobby Has the Only Agenda That Matters...

Bill C-484 going to committee despite pro-abortion lobby's objections

In a so-pitiful-it's-almost-hilarious post over at Canadian Cynic's carnival of hatred, Lindsay Stewart mopes over the fact that Bill C-484 -- the Unborn Victims of Crime Bill -- passed its second reading and is now being referred to a Parliamentary Committee.

According to Stewart, it's not only the end of the world -- it's also the end of Stephane Dion's leadership:

"Sir, while you were absent from the House of Commons today, a vote was held. The vote in question allowed Bill C-484 to pass into committee. Because you saw fit not to whip your party's vote, because it did not interest you sufficiently to attend, your leadership will now come under harsh scrutiny. This Bill is an insult to the intelligence of Canadians and a blatant attempt to undermine the ability of women to maintain the right to bodily self determination and personal autonomy. This Bill is a bald faced attempt to enshrine in law a definition of life that precedes birth and creates criminal precedent for ending that newly defined life. Mr. Dion, while I sincerely hope this Bill is killed in committee, your inaction and abandonment of Canadian women's rights has defeated any faith I might have had for your growth as a leader. You are clearly unfit for the job.

Your seeming fear of holding this minority government to task shows you to be effectively neutered. We desperately need a capable alternative to Stephen Harper and his party. You are not that alternative and the current configuration of the Liberal Party seems ill equipped to take the reigns of government. You are cowed by what should be a weak minority and Mr. Harper has routinely rolled over you and faced no resistance. Mr. Harper is remaking this nation in his own image and you are allowing him to do so. You are either cowards or fools but you have shown no will to fight and no vision worth fighting for.

Mr. Dion please step down. This nation will not elect you Prime Minister. You are a non-entity, a milquetoast and a flop. The Liberal Party might as well appoint a traffic cone to the leadership. At least people will take notice of a traffic cone. As for the members of the Liberal Party who saw fit to vote for the travesty that is Bill C-484, you will not be forgotten come the next election cycle. The simple fact that while Mr. Harper's minority government is embroiled in scandal upon scandal, the polls refusal to shift in support of the Liberal Party should be informative. You have lost the confidence of Canadians. Shape up sir, or get out of the way."

Certainly, it's heady stuff. Apparently, Dion's decision not to go quietly (or even not-so-quietly) along with the pro-abortion lobby's agenda on this particular bill makes him unfit to leadership, and he should step down.

Hooooooooo boy...

Aside from the slavish reiteration frantic and previously disproven talking points, it would seem at least part of the issue actually has to do with the wide variety of parliamentarians who voted in favour of the bill. Notably, not just Conservatives.

Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, NDP MP Peter Stoffer and Independent MP Andre Arthur are among those who voted with the Conservative caucus in favour of the bill. Particularly notable was Liberal MP Albina Guarnieri -- a female MP.

All in all, 27 of 94 Liberal Members of Parliament voted in favour of Bill C-484 -- that's nearly 30% of their caucus.

Perhaps what is most disturbing about the pro-abortion lobby's stance against Mr Dion -- as well as NDP leader Jack Layton -- is their demand that they whip their caucuses in opposition to this bill. The idea that Dion and Layton should feel obligated to force MPs to vote against their conscience on -- whether the pro-abortion lobby will admit this or not -- a justice issue is a little bit terrifying.

The pro-abortion lobby likes to brag about how it at least thinks it holds all the cards. The idea that they feel they have the right to dictate the public agenda, even against public opinion (an October 2007 Environics poll determined that 72% of Canadians favour making the murder of an unborn child a criminal offense) is, quite frankly, frightening.

After all Canada is supposed to be a democracy. If 72% of Canadians favour Bill C-484 they certainly have the right to at least see it go to committee, where any potential kinks can be worked out (or, conversely, the bill can be shelved if such problems cannot be resolved).

Unfortunately, the most extreme demagogues within the pro-abortion movement seem to feel they have the right to force their agenda on Canadians.

Fortunately, they've failed thus far. But the battle isn't over. Those of us who are willing to see this vital piece of criminal justice legislation through to fruition must take the fight to these demagogues.