CLC Blog

On January 31st, Cathay Wagantall, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan, introduced Bill C-311, the “Violence Against Pregnant Women Act.” We are encouraged by this legislation, as it seeks to secure a measure of justice when an expectant mother is assaulted or killed.

Mrs. Wagantall has been a consistently strong and vocal advocate for human rights for ALL humans – including the preborn. She had previously introduced “Cassie and Molly’s Law”, which would have required police to charge a murderer with two counts of murder if a pregnant woman and her baby died as a result of the crime. That common-sense proposal was harshly voted down by Liberal, NDP, and Bloc MPs, who were outraged that the life of a preborn child might be protected in some way under Canadian law. Apparently, it posed too great a threat to the current legal vacuum, which disregards the humanity of the preborn and permits abortion right up to the moment of birth – for any reason or for no reason at all.

In Bill C-311, Mrs. Wagantall has brought forward a milder proposal that does not go as far as “Cassie and Molly’s Law”, but it does force the courts to take pregnancy seriously. This should be much easier to pass in the House of Commons. In fact, any MPs who would dare oppose this rudimentary protection for pregnant women will certainly be called out as anti-woman and anti-justice – shameful labels to wear in this day and age!

Bill C-311 does not directly recognize the humanity of the preborn child, nor does it not require police to lay two charges when a pregnant woman and her preborn child are killed. Unfortunately, it does not go that far…

However, Bill C-311 allows for more appropriate justice to be meted out by the courts when a pregnant woman is assaulted. Specifically, it requires a judge to consider imposing a stiffer sentence on the assailant if the following is established:

• evidence that the offender, in committing the offence, abused a person whom the offender knew to be pregnant.

• evidence that the offence caused physical or emotional harm to a pregnant victim.

It may be a small step in the right direction, but it is an important step that increases respect for life in a meaningful way. Therefore, we are asking every supporter and friend of Campaign Life Coalition to get behind this bill by writing their MP today.

Take a moment and send one of our pre-scripted Action Alert Emails, or craft your own message, to urge your elected representative to stand up against the abuse and murder of pregnant women. No woman should face harm just because she is pregnant!

In her remarks on launching this bill, Mrs. Wagantall explained: “The risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant, however, consequences for their attackers do not increase at all… As it stands at this moment, our justice system fails to take these actions into account… Our country needs this law [Bill C-311] to ensure that criminals who attack or kill a pregnant woman can be sentenced appropriately by our courts.”

It is hard to believe that Canada has offered no legal protection for pregnant women and their preborn children up to this point. How barbaric and backwards!

It is well past time for Bill C-311, the “Violence Against Pregnant Women Act.” It needs to receive the support it deserves – from every party and every Member of Parliament in Canada. Let’s reach out and ensure our MPs know that we expect nothing less of them!

As God Himself commands: “Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16,17).