News Release

November 20, 1997     For Immediate Delivery

Breitkreuz Calls For Referendum On Defunding of Abortion
"UN agreement says Canada must protect children before as well as after birth."

Ottawa -- Today, Garry Breitkreuz, M.P. for Yorkton-Melville, joined his colleagues in the Reform Family Caucus to celebrate National Child Day. Breitkreuz introduced seven petitions on parental rights and responsibilities, two petitions on retention of Section 43 of the Criminal Code and reintroduced a Private Member’s Motion (M-268)calling for a binding national referendum on government funding for medically unnecessary abortions. "This day reminds us that government’s duty to children is a combination of defending parental rights and liberties, enforcing parental responsibilities and providing special safeguards, care and legal protection for the most vulnerable in society," said Breitkreuz.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states: "The child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth." Breitkreuz commented, "The federal government is very selective about which sections of the U.N. Convention it chooses to implement and conveniently ignores others such as this one. For example, the government funds research projects and court challenges by groups wanting to repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code, but continues to fund tens of thousands of abortions that are medically unnecessary. The government conveniently ignores public opinion which consistently show that a majority of Canadians support defunding of abortions."

Earlier this month, Statistics Canada reported an increase in the number of abortions in Canada from 106,255 in 1994 to 106,658 in 1995. That’s 28.2 abortions for every 100 babies born alive. Two-thirds of abortions were performed in a hospitals and the other third in clinics in 1995 at a cost of more than $50 million a year.

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For copies of Garry’s Motion and Petitions please call:

Garry Breitkreuz, M.P.