OTTAWA, Ontario, January 20, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Liberal Party of Canada is set to consider endorsing the legalization of two controversial practices at its national convention next month: euthanasia and prostitution.
The resolution on prostitution was initiated last year by Young Liberals in B.C., which describes itself as ‘activist’ on its website. This resolution was subsequently adopted by the provincial branch of the federal party as a priority resolution it would like to see debated at the national convention in Montreal in February.
The resolution focuses on the need for prostitutes to be “legally able to secure all materials and spaces required to run a safe and successful business,” according to the website.
The resolutions come as Canada’s Supreme Court has been active on both issues.
On December 20th, the high court unanimously threw out the country’s prostitution laws. The Court ruled that the prohibition on brothels, living off the avails of prostitution and street soliciting imposes dangerous conditions on prostitutes and therefore violates their right to life, liberty and security of the person. It gave Parliament one year to craft a new law.
Then on January 16th it announced it would reconsider its 1993 decision in the Rodriguez case upholding Canada’s euthanasia law.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau seemed not to favour a speedy move towards accommodating the Supreme Court’s decision on prostitution, but rather called for “responsible, informed debate” on the issue, despite having called it a form of violence against women. Trudeau’s cautious response came after Conservative Justice Minister, Peter MacKay, attacked the resolution, accusing the Liberals of wanting to “enhance Canadians’ exposure to harm.”
Postmedia reports that the resolution on prostitution may not end up being debated on the convention floor, but that the resolution on euthanasia will likely be deemed a priority.
While the Conservative Party has been clear that it has no intention of introducing legislation on euthanasia, Trudeau has yet to elaborate his own view on the issue. Though in 2010 the vast majority of his party voted against Bill C-384, the Bloc Quebecois’ euthanasia bill, he was not present for the vote.
At an event held at Ryerson in September, Trudeau called euthanasia a “very, very delicate” issue requiring a national “conversation,” reports Postmedia. Trudeau’s spokeswoman, Kate Purchase, told the news outlet last week that he would “await [the] guidance” of the Supreme Court before commenting further on the issue.