News

Image

OTTAWA, May 17, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Conservative MP is firing back at the country’s leading pro-abortion lobby for its explanation of why it refused to support a proposed motion to enshrine the recognition of the “equal and inherent dignity and worth” of every human being in Canadian law.

“Women’s rights are enhanced by affirming human equality and dignity, not threatened as Joyce Arthur suggests,” said MP Stephen Woodworth of Kitchener Centre in a press release today.

Arthur is the founder and executive director of the the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC).

Woodworth’s proposed Parliamentary resolution reads: “That the Parliament of Canada declare that the equal worth and dignity of everyone must be recognized by Canadian law based on their inherent nature as a human being”.

The MP approached Joyce Arthur last year to ask her support of his initiative. Receiving no response, he approached her again in January.

Arthur stated concerns to Woodworth at that time, but did not respond to Woodworth’s further communication.

ARRC’s silence forced Woodworth to “regretfully conclude” earlier this month that Arthur “simply refuses to affirm human equality”.

Arthur broke her silence on the matter at that time, telling CBC that she declined Woodworth’s request to support his motion because “[w]e think the ulterior motive is that he's trying to include fetuses in the definition of 'everyone.’”

ARRC's “concern with abortion trumps the democratic value of affirming universal human equality,” Woodworth said.

“As we have discovered, this approach to abortion mirrors the approach of North Korea and Vietnam,” he said. “Canadians are catching on to the dangers of such extremist views”.

Click “like” if you want to end abortion!

In his reply today, Woodworth accused ARRC’s focus “on the single issue of abortion protection” as the reason it is “taking positions which are more and more extreme and unreasonable”.

Woodworth cited six examples:

  1. They opposed specifically criminalizing coercion of women.
  2. They advocated sheltering Canada’s 400 year old, medieval definition of human being from twenty-first century science and understanding.
  3. They sought limitations on the already limited role of backbench MPs.
  4. They opposed allowing Parliament the opportunity to condemn discrimination against women through gender selection.
  5. They try to suppress the right of MP’s and others to publicly discuss issues.
  6. They have caused the repeal of transparency and accountability laws on abortion.

Woodworth made an appearance last week to about 25,000 people attending the May 9 March for Life rally on Parliament Hill. He spoke about the theme of his proposed motion.

“We’re here today to convince Parliament that human equality and human dignity are more important than any political interest,” he said. “And I’m counting on you to take that message back with you all across Canada”.

Later that evening, Woodworth was honoured by Campaign Life Coalition at a pro-life dinner for his strong defense of human life in Parliament.

After receiving the award, Woodworth told the crowd that “human equality and human dignity are found in an individual’s own nature as a human being”.

“They are not determined by his or her value to anyone else and they are not assigned by the state or taken away by the state,” he added.

He said that Canada faces a “very dark and dangerous future” when “political interested” is elevated above human dignity and equality.

Due to parliamentary procedure it could be a long wait — up to two years — before Woodworth can introduce his motion.