New promises nothing but opportunistic drivel
In 2021, abortion should be an election issue — just not in the way Justin Trudeau thinks. He pulls the topic out of his back pocket and whacks Conservatives over the head with it when polls don’t go his way, but what, exactly, has his government done to improve access over the last six years?
The answer is not much. What he has done, however, is capitalize on its contentious status in the U.S. to paint abortion as a winners-take-all issue, where victory simply means maintaining the status quo of legality and “not reopening the issue.” That’s not nearly good enough for a leader who claims to care deeply about women’s rights.
Abortion has been decriminalized in Canada since 1988, but actual access to reproductive health care remains limited to non-existent in many parts of the country. After six years of governing, Trudeau hasn’t made any significant strides on accessibility — rather, he hops on the abortion merry-go-round during campaigns and hops right off again when he wins. Case in point: this April’s federal budget was the first under Trudeau to even mention the word “abortion.”
Now the Liberal platform has some shiny new promises, which include establishing regulations about accessibility for sexual and reproductive health services under the Canada Health Act, providing funds for youth-led organizations that address sexual and reproductive health needs, and axing anti-abortion organizations’ charity status.
However, Trudeau’s last two stints in office show he isn’t particularly good at following through on big promises, particularly ones mostly included for political convenience. Savvy platform readers may notice that, for example, universal pharmacare, which was a major Liberal campaign pledge in 2015 and 2019, is gone without a trace in 2021. This is also the Liberals’ third time campaigning on a conversion therapy ban — one which would already be in place if Trudeau hadn’t recently dissolved parliament.
When such promises magically appear after over half a decade of inaction, right when it looks like the Conservatives have a real shot at winning in September, and right when the Liberals are trending down with women and young people, it’s hard not to be skeptical.
By the way, that disappeared pharmacare promise would’ve gone a long way to making birth control more affordable and accessible in Canada. It comes as a surprise to many, but birth control and contraceptive devices are actually cheaper and easier to get in most parts of the U.S. and some parts of the Middle East. You won’t hear Trudeau mention this neat little fact, but we’re also one of the only Western nations to not offer universal access to birth control. Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and 10 other European countries do.
Trudeau’s Liberals have also ignored calls by women’s rights advocates to provide proper reproductive health care, including abortion services, access to contraception, prenatal care, basic health education, and menstrual products, in federal women’s prisons. But, of course, adequate care for female inmates, who are disproportionately Indigenous, isn’t as fun as bashing one’s political opponents for the headlines.
A woman’s right to choose goes both ways, and there’s also been a disturbing lack of action on reports of coerced and forced sterilizations of Indigenous women in Canadian hospitals. While the issue made headlines again this year, Senators and advocates have been pushing Trudeau to act on the problem since at least 2019. Yet, it continues.
When it comes to reproductive and sexual health, decriminalized abortions are basically the bottom of the barrel. That Canada hasn’t moved significantly forward on the issue in 30-plus years comes down to a lack of leadership and politicians who’d rather obfuscate the issue to score points than engage in thoughtful, ongoing, nuanced dialogue.
Had Trudeau meaningfully addressed or spoken about even a third of the issues mentioned in this column prior to this week, I’d be more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. But, outside of campaign season, there’s barely been a peep. Thus it’s difficult to see his newest promises as anything but opportunistic drivel, here until election day then gone the next.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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