Reality check: Harper Liberals force Ignatieff to retreat on abortion position

Today the Liberal Party will propose a motion asking that the government “include the full range of family planning” in its maternal and child health initiative to be unveiled in June at the G8 summit in Toronto.

At first glance, the motion is in keeping with what Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff pledged last month:

that aid for abortions abroad is crucial if Prime Minister Harper is serious about making maternal health a “top priority” for Canada.

“We don’t want to have women dying because of botched procedures. We don’t want to have women dying in misery. We’ve had a pro-choice consensus in this area for a couple of generations and we want to hold it.” – Michael Ignatieff, Toronto Star, Feb 2 2010.

But the devil is always in the details. A closer read of the motion shows that in the intervening weeks the Ignatieff Liberals have backpeddled from their earlier position, making specific reference only to “contraception” but not abortion.

Could Mr. Ignatieff’s new position have anything to do with his appeasal of anti-choice MPs in his caucus?

“Liberal MP Paul Szabo said he was caught off guard by the announcement and claims Ignatieff doesn't have a consensus for the stand among Liberals. 'I am a pro-life MP and there are many of my colleagues in the Liberal caucus who will protect the unborn in their decisions as Parliamentarians, and should matters come before the House they will continue to act accordingly.” (Canadian Press, February 3, 2010)

“As a pro-life Liberal, McKay would be most hesitant to back Ignatieff on [his insistence that maternal and child health in less developed countries should include support for abortion and contraception]. He emphasized that ‘I made my own opinions abundantly clear to my leader,’ after Ignatieff's pro-abortion announcement.” (Canadian Christianity, March 4, 2010)

Women’s sexual and reproductive rights are not bargaining chips with which Michael Ignatieff can play political games with the Harper Conservatives.

Before the vote occurs, the least Mr. Ignatieff can do is clarify how many more Harper Liberals will vote against his motion this afternoon—or not bother to show up at all?