Government Abandons Support for Unborn Victims of Crime Bill

August 26, 2008

On August 25, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson held a press conference and announced the government’s intention to introduce new legislation which effectively supercedes bill C484, the ‘unborn victims of violent crime’ bill.  CFSH strongly opposed bill C484, with the concern that the bill's underlying intention was to create a separate legal status for a fetus.  

The new bill announced by Minister Nicholson would make a victim's pregnancy an aggravating factor in an assault case that would lead to a longer sentence.   The Minister has said that this will clarify that the new bill will not reopen the abortion debate.

There is speculation about how this move may be related to the possibility of a fall election, and whether it might be the issue that triggers it, or whether it is intended to distance the government from the controversy surrounding the private member’s bill C484.  

To learn more, read the front-page coverage from the Globe and Mail and the National Post.