By John-Henry Westen
OTTAWA, September 22, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Opposition MP Belinda Stronach, the former Minister of Human Resources while the Liberal Government was in power, was quoted in the Toronto Star yesterday suggesting that women’s groups which do not support abortion should not receive government funding. Speaking of government funding for women’s groups such as REAL Women Canada which are pro-life, Stronach said, “They should be rejected because they’re anti-choice and they’re also anti-equal rights. They don’t support equality.”
The suggestionÂalienates a majority of Canadian women. A Focus Canada poll conducted in October 2005 by Environics Research found that 64% of Canadian women support legal protection of unborn children before birth. (See coverage: https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/nov/05111502.html )
Stronach’s comments to the press closely resemble those she made in the House of Commons yesterday. Stronach slammed the government from even hearing the opinions of REAL Women. Describing the pro-life and pro-family women’s group Stronach said, “This is a group that is anti-choice, anti-gay, does not support equality for women and wants to obliterate the Department on the Status of Women. This group’s website even has links to sites that suggest that day cares do not care and homosexuality is a psychological disorder.”
Bev Oda, the Conservative Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, responded saying that the Conservatives will listen to all groups unlike the Liberals who only had time for their own special interest groups.“This government, the new Conservative government, listens to all groups, but not only groups. We listen to the mothers of children. We listen to families. We listen to those people who are contributing to the community, unlike the previous Liberal government that only listened to its friends,” retorted Oda.
See the Toronto Star coverage:
https://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1158790225532&call_pageid=970599119419
See the Hansard containing Stronach’s remarks:
https://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=1&DocId=2346811#Int-1645876