Iggy Moment

Kevin Libin: Ignatieff's fine line between pro-choice and pro-abortion

Posted: February 03, 2010, 9:59 PM by Daniel Kaszor
Filed under: Kevin Libin,Liberals,Ignatieff

 

When Michael Ignatieff said this week he wanted to “lay down a marker” for Tory initiatives to improve maternal health, ensuring they ranked access to abortion as a priority, he may have been attempting to resurrect the specter of a Tory “hidden agenda.” But the Liberal leader also delivered what some observers say may be the most audacious stance in favour of the practice of abortion ever to come from a Liberal leader.

Mr. Ignatieff held a news conference on Tuesday to explain that while his party generally supported Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s plan to focus G8 efforts on improving maternal and infant health worldwide, his support would be contingent on ensuring that facilitating access to abortion, as well as birth control, in the developing world was a priority. “Women are entitled to the full gamut of reproductive health services and that includes termination of pregnancy and contraception,” he said.

Tory MP Rod Bruinooge, chairman of the Parliamentary Pro-Life Caucus, called the comments a distinct departure from Mr. Ignatieff’s predecessors who tended to hold more ambivalent views about abortion. “Perhaps he and his advisors … have come to the conclusion that they’re prepared to take a far more aggressive position in relation to abortion than previous Liberal leaders.”

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