By Canadian Press

Scheer’s commitment not to reopen abortion debate up against Tory MP’s bill

Feb 27, 2020 | 12:52 PM

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s campaign commitment not to reopen the debate on abortion has not stopped a Conservative MP from introducing a private member’s bill that would ban sex-selective abortions.

Saskatchewan MP Cathay Wagantall put forward the proposed law Wednesday, acknowledging that while the majority of Canadians agree with having access to abortion, a majority is also against the procedure being used to discriminate on the basis of sex.

Studies have found evidence suggesting there are women in Canada who do choose to terminate a pregnancy based on the sex of the fetus, but it is challenging to prove.

A private member’s bill faces an uphill battle to become law, but it still has the potential be debated in the House of Commons.

Scheer, who is personally against abortion, faced persistent questions during the federal election campaign about whether he’d allow Conservative MPs to bring laws on abortion forward.

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He said then that it’s his responsibility to ensure the debate is not reopened, and that he’d personally vote against any attempt to do so, but his spokesman could not immediately say Thursday how he’d vote on the new bill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2020.

The Canadian Press