OTTAWA, February 27, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Assisted Human Reproduction Act, Bill C-13, received surprising criticism in the House of Commons today from Liberal MP John Bryden. Bryden, an MP believed to be pro-abortion and who has supported embryonic stem cell research, has nevertheless pointed out the inconsistency in the bill regarding its supposed prohibition of the creation of human embryos for research. Bryden stood up in the House today to note how one clause in the bill specifically permits the creation of human embryos for the purpose of instruction and better working of in vitro fertilization. Under the Prohibited procedures section 5 (1) b the bill reads “(No person shall knowingly) create an in vitro embryo for any purpose other than creating a human being OR IMPROVING OR PROVIDING INSTRUCTION IN ASSISTED REPORDUCTION PROCEDURES.” (emphasis added) Thus, said Bryden, the bill allows for the creation of human beings for experimentation.
In a shocking statement, Bryden said that had he seen this inconsistency earlier he would have been standing in the House with an amendment to rectify the glaring discrepancy. Unfortunately Mr. Bryden was previously unmoved by numerous presentations on these issues by Campaign Life Coalition.
Campaign Life Coalition pointed out this very problem with the bill and suggested amendments to counter it months ago in briefs to pro-life politicians. Jim Hughes, President of Campaign Life Coalition told LifeSite that the incident is a good example of how deceptive the legislation is. “It claims to ban creation of human embryos for research in one place and then specifically allows it in another and in the same way claims to ban cloning but omits to mention some of the methods thereby allowing them.” See the exact section of the bill in question: https://www.parl.gc.ca/37/2/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/government/C-13/C-13_2/90187bE.html#4 MP John Bryden email address is [email protected]