In the 80’s, it was the Devine regime provincially and the Mulroney machine federally that moved the regina mom into political activism. The issue of reproductive rights got her involved in the women’s movement of the day. And here she is, more than 25 years later, again working on that file.
On Thursday, April 26, the House of Commons is scheduled to debate MP Stephen Woodworth’s Motion 312 which ultimately seeks to make abortion illegal. If passed, the abortion debate in Canada will officially be re-opened.
Never Again*
Yes, one year ago the Prime Minister said he wouldn’t re-open the debate. But, do you trust him? Does any Canadian woman believe him? the regina mom doesn’t.
That’s why she’s been working with the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada to mobilize women across the nation. Already, more than 11,500 have signed our digital petition. It’s heartwarming, really, to know that so many support the efforts of a few dedicated volunteers and, more importantly, the right of a woman to control her own body.
ARCC has now decided to initiate a signature drive on a hard copy of the petition. This will allow it be part of the public record via the House of Commons. ARCC has contacted various prochoice Members of Parliament of different political stripes for assistance. the regina mom encourages you to contact your Member of Parliament to see where s/he stands on the issue of women’s reproductive freedom.
And, the regina mom would love it if you would help out, too. Arm yourself with information. Then, take a moment to print out the petition (PDF) on 8.5 x 14 paper, invite your family / friends / co-workers to sign it and then send it to the ARCC. We’ll make sure it gets to a prochoice MP for presentation to the House.
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*When abortions were illegal, women would use any means at their disposal to terminate a pregnancy. Coat hangers were easily accessible and often used. Women died as a result of botched abortions. The graphic, Never Again, is the ProChoice movement’s statement that we will stand guard so that we will never again go back to those times.
the regina mom 
Beijing York
/ April 21, 2012Even Dr. Ruth Westheimer said on Q, when interviewed by Gian Gomeshi a few weeks ago, that if we return to those days, these restrictions will only mean that wealthy women will travel to where they can get abortions while other less fortunate women will end up relying on dangerous, lethal means.
thereginamom
/ April 21, 2012Yup, that’s exactly the way it was 25 years ago, before Justice Bertha Wilson.
Toe
/ April 21, 2012We have Nikki Ashton now for Women’s Issues in the NDP cabinet and as you know, in fact she warned Harper, she’s not afraid of using the F word – feminism.
Katz
/ April 21, 2012After what Harper did to the prairie farmers with the Wheat Board I wouldn’t put it past this government to criminalize abortion. What’s even scarier is that the if that happens, taking it to court to get it repealled might not work because the government has ignored on the Federal court on the Wheat Board – we’ll have to see what happens on the charter case.