A friend of mine alerted me to the fact that Toronto Star columnist and recently-resumed blogger Antonia Zerbisias has issued a challenge to us bloggers to recognize the American “blog for choice day” today, the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. (She also points out that “January 28th marks the 20th anniversary of R. v. Morgenthaler, the Canadian Supreme Court decision, the one that declared it unconstitutional to force a woman to carry a fetus to term.”)
I was reminded of said challenge last night as I joined young Greens for a pub night at the Imperial Pub near Dundas Square. This billboard currently imposes itself directly outside the bar. (Apparently those who oppose a right to choose also pick this time of year to make their case.)
Therefore, since today I’m both a blogger and a candidate in the middle of an election campaign, I’ll quote from the Vision Green chapter on Women’s Equality to let you know that Green MPs (including this one) would “oppose any possible government move to diminish the right of a woman to a safe, legal abortion. We fully support a woman’s right to choose. We will also expand programs in reproductive rights and education to avoid unwanted pregnancies, and expand supports for low-income mothers.”
Now, if you’ve been reading NDP blogs (or possibly been listening to some NDP volunteers at the door), the above might surprise you. Unfortunately, some NDP supporters have taken to spreading a lie about Elizabeth May, saying that she believes the opposite of what’s printed above. You should know that that’s not true, no matter how often Elizabeth’s words are selectively and/or misquoted. (In a 15 minute recorded statement made over a year ago, Elizabeth explained that she doesn’t believe abortion is something to be desired or treated casually, but that she recognizes and affirms the need for women to have access to safe legal abortions. I expect that’s the position of most Canadians. She also said that she herself would never have an abortion, which some “pro-choice” people have criticized her for, apparently without realizing what the word “choice” means.) Anyone concerned about that whole affair should read Elizabeth’s open letter to Judy Rebick.
Or, if you’d rather not rehash past drama, know that I, the Green Party (as the only major national party led by a woman) and Elizabeth May are all firmly committed to advancing women’s equality and rights.
advancing women’s rights and addressing poverty as a feminist issue (because the majority (70%) of the world’s poor are women, esp single mothers) is essential in the fight against poverty, homelessness, inequality, sexism and human rights.
Despite incremental gains in women’s rights in the past few years…a lot remains to be done, here and around the world – where women continue to be marginalized, exploited, oppressed, treated as not-fully human and second class citizens…
reports by the U.N. have shown that aid given to women work best, since they’re used to care for their family and children – thus ending what can be a perpetual cycle of poverty and unemployment, the Green Party’s position on abortion is a necessary one in recognizing the right for a woman to chose.
**choose** (its 2:00am..)
Thanks Chris. I remember those Morgentaler (no “h”) struggles well. What a sick billboard near The Imperial – and from Niagara no less!
The distortion of Elizabeth’s May pro-choice views is maddening. Our opponents would also have you believe we support all-out war in Afghanistan. Those quick “oh by the way” asides at the door…old politics.
Now let me take a moment of silence for the unsold toy soldiers :)
I’ve long thought that the operative word should be ChoiceS-
where both people who find themselves in that situation have society’s support if they choose to nurture and deliver
said bundle of joy to some deserving couple.
This highly moral approach has been found to suceed in bringing happiness to two sets of people.
I just went back to look at the original Judy Rebick letter and the discussion on “Babble”. Wow! What a bunch of narrow-minded jerks. They never seem to let the facts get in the way of a good hate. I used to be a member of the NDP but I left because I could see in seed form every abuse that happened in the Soviet Union. I could certainly see how if the people on Babble ever got real control of the police that people like Elizabeth May would end up in the Gulag—or worse.
What ever happened to the enlightenment virtue of reasoned debate?