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Te-t-only 'ersion
!iberal "# $ohn "c%ay
#ro-life !iberal "c%ay has dilemma on hand with &rudeau pro-choice stance
'y "ichael (wan) &he *atholic +egister
"ay 1,) ,-1.
&oronto pro-life !iberal "# $ohn "c%ay says he/s no less a !iberal for his stand against
open-access) unregulated abortion.
0fter party leader $ustin &rudeau declared no future candidates will be appro1ed unless
they accept the party/s pro-choice position) the (carborough-2uildwood "# was left
wondering why traditional !iberal openness on the question had to be dumped.
3&he party did take a position in 4ttawa in ,-1, and it was a pro-choice position. 5
suppose he 6&rudeau7 is reflecting that. 0nd it does line up with his own personal 1iews.
5n that respect) he/s making a clear position)8 said "c%ay.
5n ,-11 &rudeau took the more ambiguous position that he personally had moral
ob9ections to abortion but did not belie1e it was an area for legislation.
35 said 5 don/t like abortion. :oes anyone who/s pro-choice) as 5 am) really like
abortion?8 &rudeau tweeted in ;o1ember) ,-11.
3&o my mind ambiguity is the position to take)8 said "c%ay. 3<e all li1e with
contradictions within our own li1es. 5t/s only the fundamentalists on both sides of the
issue who dri1e us all cra=y. 'ecause the fundamentalists on both sides are so strident
then there is no mature dialogue about the issue itself.8
<ith both the ;:# and !iberals now enforcing official party stands against regulating
abortion and *onser1ati1e #rime "inister (tephen >arper declaring he has no interest in
reopening the abortion debate and 1oting against abortion-related pri1ate members
motions) there/s little prospect of serious mo1ement or debate on the issue) "c%ay said.
3&he politicians largely 9ust duck)8 he said.
0 history of single-issue anti-abortion candidates campaigning hard for !iberal
nominations despite little or no history with the party pushed the 2rits into drawing a
line in the sand) said "c%ay.
3&he party was embarrassed) if you will)8 he said. 3(pent a lot of political capital on
these kinds of e1ents. 5t/s also a little strange that the party isn/t also taking a firm
position on ethnic politics) say.8
"c%ay doesn/t want to be the last !iberal to stand against unregulated abortion.
3&his is not a position that 5 find myself seeking)8 he told &he *atholic +egister. ?5/1e
spent 1@) 1A years as an "# 6first elected in 1BBA7. 5/1e gone through siC elections. 5n
each and e1ery one of those elections my constituents ha1e known what my position has
been. 0s far as 5 know) people of the pro-choice 1ariety) probably the ma9ority in my
constituency) still 1ote for me e1en though they think that maybe my ideas are a little
looney. Dor whate1er reason) they see me as a good "# and a good representati1e of
their 1iews.8
5deally) politicians should lead on difficult and contentious issues) according to "c%ay.
3&he con1ersation ne1er actually gets on to the floor of the >ouse. #arliament) which is
supposed to be the great debating chamber of our society) is silent.8