Prime Minister Martin Forced to Back Away From Extreme Pro-Abortion Rhetoric

CAMBRIDGE, ON, June 17, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On Wednesday, June 16, 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin held a news conference in the community of Cambridge during his southwestern Ontario campaign swing. He was asked about a place in the party for pro-life Members of Parliament. Two Liberal candidates joined him on stage; one was Janco Peric, Liberal MP for Cambridge, who respects the right to life of the unborn.  An unidentified female reporter asked Martin, “: …but, some of the MPs up on stage with you are pro-life and anti-gay marriage and I want to know what place do they have, do their views have any place in the Liberal party?”  Paul Martin Prime Minister responded, “Look, we are, the Liberal party is a, is a , is a very wide coalition and people do have, people do have different views and they’re certainly entitled to have them. What I have said is that I will not use the notwithstanding clause to take away a right that has been enshrined in the Charter.”  Another reporter asked, (in French) “Do you intend to remain leader of the Liberal party whatever happens on the 28th of June?” Martin responded, “Well, as I’ve just said, I’m quite certain that when Canadians understand the fundamental differences between Mr. Harper and myself and between our two parties, that their choice will be to look to the future and the Liberal party will form the next government.”