Majority of Conservative MPs vote in favour of defeated sex-selective abortion bill

Photo: The Canadian Press

Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development Maryam Monsef speaks during a press conference in Ottawa on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

UPDATE 2:05 p.m.

Most of Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's caucus voted in favour of a bill that sought to restrict certain abortions even as he voted it down, saying he respects a woman's right to choose.

Saskatchewan MP Cathay Wagantall brought forward Bill C-233, which sought to ban doctors from performing an abortion based on the sex of a fetus, which was defeated in a 248-82 vote Wednesday.

All but one of the votes cast in its favour came from the Conservatives who have 119 members, with the other coming from former party MP and leadership contender Derek Sloan.

O'Toole voted against the bill, as did other members of his front bench.

Some including deputy party leader Candice Bergen voted in its favour, as did O'Toole's leadership predecessor Andrew Scheer.

Wagantall had argued her private member's bill was more nuanced than other debates surrounding abortion because it only looks at the issue of terminating a pregnancy through sex selection, which she and supporters — including some fellow Conservative MPs — worry disproportionately affects baby girls.

While MPs, including Liberals, said they didn't support sex-selective abortion, they blasted the bill in previous debates as a Trojan horse attempting to restrict the reproductive rights of women, also questioning the sources of information presented in support of the bill's cause.

Hours before Wednesday's vote, Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef released a letter she penned to O'Toole asking the leader to call on his caucus to vote against what she calls a "dangerous bill."

"This is in fact the seventh time since 2007 that a Conservative Member of Parliament has worked hard to limit women's choices," she said at a news conference.

O'Toole has said he personally won't support the proposed legislation as he is "pro-choice." His office said he will allow a free votes on matters of conscience for his caucus.

In a statement Wednesday, he said: "I support a woman's right to choose and my record speaks for itself. As prime minister, my government will secure the rights of Canadians and never erode them."

ORIGINAL 11:15 a.m.

Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef is calling out Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole for allowing a bill on abortion from one of his members to move ahead.

Parliamentarians are expected to vote today on the proposed legislation brought forward by Saskatchewan MP Cathay Wagantall that seeks to ban doctors from performing an abortion based on the sex of a fetus.

Wagantall says her private member's bill is more nuanced than other debates around abortion because it only looks at the issue of terminating a pregnancy through sex selection, which she and supporters worry affects baby girls.

While MPs including Liberals say they don't support sex-selective abortion, they blast the bill as a Trojan horse attempting to restrict the reproductive rights of women.

Monsef released a letter she penned to O'Toole asking the leader to call on his caucus to vote against what she calls a "dangerous bill."

O'Toole has said he personally won't support the proposed legislation, but his office says he will allow a free votes on matters of conscience for his caucus.

Monsef criticizes the leader's vote as offering "cold comfort" to women who may be worried about the bill's ramifications.

She also points out in her letter that it is Conservative MPs who brought have brought forward abortion seven times since 2007.

"As the leader of the Conservative party, you have allowed this dangerous bill to move forward during an exceptionally difficult time for women," her letter reads.

"You can reassure Canadian women that the Conservative Party values their rights and their choices. Please call on your team to vote against this dangerous bill."