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Unborn Victims of Violence Bill Proposed in Canadian Parliament by Conservative MP

By John-Henry Westen

OTTAWA, May 17, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Conservative MP Leon Benoit introduced in Parliament today a bill to recognize unborn victims of violence.  Bill C-291, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (injuring or causing the death of a child before or during its birth while committing an offence), saw first reading today.

Speaking to the bill, Mr. Benoit said, "Current laws protect women who are victims of violence, or at least they are meant to do that, however if a woman makes a choice to keep her child there is no protection under current law for that unborn child." 

Benoit recalled a horrific incident where an unborn child was the target of a violent crime along with his mother but the perpetrator received no penalty for his murder of the unborn child.  "Olivia Talbot, a young woman from Edmonton with her whole life ahead of her, had chosen to keep her child and raise a family," recalled Benoit. "An ex-boyfriend brutally shot and killed her and then shot and killed her unborn child."

Benoit concluded: "This bill would make it a separate offence to kill or injure an unborn child while committing a violent crime against its mother. I look forward to support from all parties for this bill."

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