Who controls a woman's body? Tell your MP to vote no on motion M-312

In Canada, women have the right to control over their own bodies. Now, a Conservative MP's motion could put serious limits on women's reproductive rights.

MP Stephen Woodworth's motion M-312 calls for a special Parliamentary committee to review the definition of “human being” in the Criminal Code of Canada. If passed, the motion could undermine a woman's constitutional right to security of the person once she becomes pregnant.

The motion is scheduled for its second hour of debate in the House of Commons on September 18. A vote could be held as early as September 19.

Contact your MP to vote no on motion M-312
“This motion represents a clear threat to women's reproductive rights”, says PSAC national president Robyn Benson. “I am very concerned that once again, women's constitutional rights are up for debate in Parliament.”

In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that preventing a woman from ending an unwanted pregnancy is a violation of her constitutional right to freedom and security of the person. That should have been the end of the debate but some individuals and organizations have been relentlessly campaigning to restrict women's reproductive rights and to criminalize abortion. Motion M-312 is the latest strategy.

“Women have fought long and hard for reproductive justice”, says Benson. The criminalization of abortion would be a huge step backwards and represent an unjustifiable erosion of women's human rights”.

A 1988 PSAC resolution of record recognizes that “without reproductive rights, a woman remains a second-class citizen inside and outside the work place”.

The union remains committed to defending women's reproductive rights and joins with the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada and other civil society organizations in calling for the defeat of motion M-312. Download the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada petition.

Send completed petition forms to PSAC REVP Jeannie Baldwin, PSAC regional office, 287 Lacewood Drive, Suite 301, Halifax NS B3M 3Y7

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Subject: Motion M-312: Women's right to security of the person

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I am very disturbed that once again women's constitutional rights to freedom and security of the person are up for debate in Parliament.

By creating a Parliamentary committee to review the Criminal Code definition of a “human being”, MP Stephen Woodworth's motion M-312 would open the door to the imposition of unconstitutional restrictions on a woman's reproductive rights, including the criminalization of abortion in Canada.

I'm writing to ask you to vote against motion M-312.

In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that preventing a woman from having an abortion if she does not want to continue her pregnancy is a violation of her constitutional right to freedom and security of the person (Morgentaler decision). Since then, some individuals and organizations have been trying in various ways to put limits on women's reproductive rights.

M-312 is the first step towards making women second class citizens whose rights to security of the person become secondary once they become pregnant.

I urge you to vote against this dangerous motion and to stand up for women's equality and human and reproductive rights.

Thank you for considering my concerns.  I look forward to your reply.

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Who controls a woman's body? Tell your MP to vote no on motion M-312