I CapitalAccounts

The politics of abortion

Charlotte Gray

H ow did you like my caucus that would slide through What is the will of the ma- courageous silence on Parliament as painlessly and qui- jority? Opinion polls have shown abortion?" Prime Min- etly as possible. One of the archi- that most support the ister tects of the Meech Lake constitu- right of a woman to have an grinned at his handlers after the tional accord, Murray is probably abortion in certain circumstances, debate on women's issues during the most thoughtful, skilful nego- although the definition of "cir- the 1984 federal election cam- tiator in the Mulroney cabinet. cumstances" varies. Only 15% paign. He must wish that he But it was soon evident that believe abortion should be illegal could skate over the subject with rightwingers within the Tory cau- in all circumstances. Public opin- the same ease today. In its anxi- cus were going to fight any pro- ion is unchanged since 1975. ety to avoid the political fallout posal short of a ban on abortion. However, there is a world of from the abortion debate, his difference between the opinion of government has put itself in a a general public that is 52% fe- fearsome bind. Now the issue male, and the opinion of a Parlia- threatens the unity of the Pro- ment that is more than 90% gressive Conservative caucus and "We've been called male. Antiabortion campaigners the sanity of all potential MPs dinosaurs, but I'll tell claim that between 70 and 100 of during the impending election the 282 MPs support a no-abor- campaign. you what happens tions policy. The majority of When the Supreme Court when a dinosaur these members are Conserva- struck down the existing abortion crashes the tives, but the issue does cut law last January, it forced the through across party lines: Liberals John Tories to develop a new abortion bushes. He tramples Nunziata and Don Boudria both policy. For a government that on the sheep and mice oppose abortion. prides itself on eliminating ten- Many of the Tory antiabor- sion and finding compromises in in his way.'' tionists belong to the "Dinosaur public life, this proved a sticky Club", the rump of right-wing dilemma. The prime minister's MP Ron Stewart traditionalists who support capi- first move was to appoint Senator tal punishment and oppose bilin- , government gualism. The deeply resent their leader in the Senate, to chair an defeats in those two areas. After informal committee of the minis- legislation affecting Ottawa's offi- ters involved - Health Minister So the onus of finding a solution cial languages law passed in the , Justice Minister Ray was shifted to the great concilia- Commons last month, Hnatyshyn, and Status of tor, Deputy Prime Minister Don MP Ron Stewart exploded with Women Minister Barbara Mc- Mazankowski, a Westerner with the raw frustration they share: Dougall. much closer ties to the party's "We've been called dinosaurs, Murray was told to find a antiabortion backbenchers. Ma- but I'll tell you what happens solution acceptable to the Tory zankowski, a low-key political when a dinosaur crashes through pragmatist, hoped to allow them the bushes. He tramples on the to vent their feelings, and then to sheep and mice in his way." Charlotte Gray is a CMAJ contributing persuade them to accept the will Dissension within Tory editor. of the majority. ranks is not the government's

CMAJ, VOL. 139, AUGUST 15, 1988 327 only problem with the abortion mentary, and both were happy to determined to fight the highly issue. It also wanted to find a embarrass the govemment and organized antiabortion lobby.) tactic to take the sting out of the angry that the government was Many MPs are not convinced debate within the House, and in trying to weasel out of stating a that it will become an election May introduced a novel proce- firm position on its own. The issue. Says Calgary Tory Jim dure: a complex motion which antiabortionists railed that the Hawkes, "It won't have any would have the MPs vote on the pro-life option wasn't tough more impact in my riding than in abortion issue in th-ree stages. enough. The pro-choice forces ar- the three elections I've already The first stage would be to de- gued that abortion shouldn't be fought. It's not a high-priority bate a motion that would sus- in the Criminal Code at all. Law- item for me. And I'm in a better pend the normal rules of debate yers pointed out that at least one position today than I was in and create special rules for this of the options was unconstitu- 1984, because like many of my subject. If the motion was adopt- tional. colleagues I've done a local poll ed, MPs would then vote on a Realizing the tactic was a on the issue. It pretty well mir- three-option abortion resolution. disaster, Deputy House Leader rored the national public opinion The options were to take a mod- withdrew the motion sample: 76% of my constituents erately pro-choice route, which in July. The abortion issue was want abortion to be controlled the government preferred, to be handed back to Mazankowski, but accessible." entirely pro-choice, or to be mod- who embarked on another round But Conservative strategists erately antiabortion. After the of negotiations with opposition are very worried about going to vote was tallied, the government leaders and Tory backbenchers. the country with the issue unre- would draft legislation expressing Will we see a solution before solved. Zealots on each side of the most popular of the three an election is called and the par- the issue could dominate all-can- options. liamentary slate wiped clean? didates' meetings, and without a The tactic was designed to Don't bet on it, advise MPs from party policy to cling to, candi- please most of the people most of all parties. The legislative timeta- dates might find themselves fall- the time, but Mazankowski and ble is already too full, and the ing into line behind the people Company quickly discovered that Progressive Conservatives too di- shouting the loudest in their rid- this "compromise solution" vided. (Last month saw the emer- ings. And Prime Minister Mul- pleased nobody. gence of yet another lobby group roney would be unable to pre- The opposition parties - Tories for Choice - with serve his "courageous silence" on screamed that it was unparlia- members from across the country the issue.m This Pubiato is avamle in Mic6m. ,Eo:^ UniversityNMicrofilms International

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