I direct your attention to this story, which tells us that three Conservative (surprise!) MPs have written a letter to the RCMP Commissioner in which they implore the RCMP to investigate abortions past 19 weeks gestation as homicides. Their "reasoning" for this super great idea is based on the Criminal Code - they believe that abortions performed at 20+ weeks violate section 223a.
Here is that section:
223. (1) A child becomes a human being within the meaning of this Act when it has completely proceeded, in a living state, from the body of its mother, whether or not
(a) it has breathed;
So these douchenozzles are asserting that because of the method used to perform an abortion at that gestation - which would have to involve the fetus being completely removed from the woman's body for it to count in this argument - the child is a human and the person killing it (I'm assuming they are going after the doctor here) should be investigated for homicide. Sure. Why not.
Never mind that there is no attempt here to differentiate between the intent of a murderer and a doctor performing their (legal!) job. What confuses me is, what the hell kind of abortion are they talking about? I may be wrong, but my understanding of late term abortion is an IDX (intact dilation and extraction), which does not involve the fetus being removed completely until it is utterly dead. It is not supposed to proceed in a living state from the body of its mother.
In fact, in order for section 223a to apply, the entire fetus would have to be removed alive, and then somehow killed, which I just don't think doctors do. When labour is induced at that stage for termination purposes, I think it is to expel an already dead fetus.
What I think this illustrates is these MPs' total lack of empathy. They have no understanding of why someone would seek a late-term abortion (hint: it is mostly because of health risks or fetal abnormalities/fetal death), or the strain and emotional toll that situation can take on women and families. They have no understanding of what doctors do - I'm sure they picture docs pulling adorable children out of women and stabbing them on the operating table. They have no understanding of the law in Canada. They are, frankly, stupid.
This is just such bullshit, you guys.
1 comment:
I wonder if they're angling for a Canadian version of Gonzales v. Carhart? It would seem like IDX would be legal up there even without a heart prick, given the "completely proceeded" language.
I believe some hospitals are willing to induce live birth for deformed babies and provide comfort care only and let the parents hold them while they pass away. Even then, the child passes of natural causes. Perhaps they want to start prosecuting doctors for letting parents refuse treatment that would probably be detrimental to their child's quality of life, and extend the quantity of life only briefly?
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