Epp on C-484: "Hell no! It won't go!"

These fetus fetishists were never ones to look reality square in the face and see what's really there, preferring instead to re-interpret the information to fit their own warped worldview. Big protests against the Morgentaler Order of Canada... 400. A blizzard of returned Order of Canada medals... 9 -- 3 from dead people. Massive poll... heh. A huge grassroots Astroturf uprising against Justice McLachlin... whatever. Their delusions go on and on and endlessly on.

So it's no surprise that upon hearing that his scurrilous Bill C-484 (aka the "Kicking Abortion's Ass" bill) is being euthanized and replaced with something more in keeping with Canadian pro-choice values, MP Ken Epp stomped his feet and threatened to hold his breath 'til he turned blue:

"I definitely will not be withdrawing my bill," Epp told Sun Media. "They're quite different. I don't intend to let up."

So what? The thing is D.O.A. according to Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, and Ken Epp isn't running for office again. If it's not withdrawn, C-484 will just float around in Dead Bill Purgatory in perpetuity. It won't be lonely -- its buddy, C-537, will be along shortly to keep it company.

Bill C-537: Life begins in the petri dish

Bill C-537 may be even more of a sneak attack on choice than the odious Bill C-484. And no, I am not being alarmist.

This so-called "conscience" bill that would allow health care personnel to opt out of medical procedures they consider "against their faith" is bad enough -- but it also contains a amendment that would redefine the legal definition of "human life". From the bill (emphasis mine):

SUMMARY

This enactment protects the right of health care practitioners and other persons to refuse, without fear of reprisal or other discriminatory coercion, to participate in medical procedures that offend a tenet of their religion, or their belief that human life is inviolable.

"'human life' means the human organism at any stage of development, beginning at fertilization or creation."

Go read Alison and be amazed and outraged at the implications of this foul piece of prospective legislation. Then, well, you know the drill.

Surrounded

Here's an interesting little item about a proposal to remove "Plan B" (aka "morning after") contraception from behind the pharmacist's counter and onto the drug store shelves:

"Canadians could have the most liberal access to the morning-after pill in the Western world, according to critics of proposed changes to how the drug is sold here.

An expert advisory committee has urged that the single-dose version of Plan B be available off the shelf at pharmacies, without women having to consult a pharmacist first. The recommendation would mean people could buy emergency contraceptives much the way they can Aspirin or vitamins."

"Emergency contraceptives would be more readily available here [under the proposal] than in any developed country," said Janet Cooper of the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

"I'm not sure how comfortable the general public might be if a 14-year-old could just walk in, pick it up off the shelf, buy it, not have any interaction with anybody and come back a month later and do the same thing. That's not in that girl's best interests."

Ha. If the Canadian Pharmacists Association is so pissed about it, maybe it's time for them to get a better leash on their members who won't do their jobs. Until such time, putting Plan B on the shelf is a brilliant idea. No more farting around trying to get the thing from a pharmacist who may or may not dispense it, depending on his "religious beliefs" or on how much of a judgmental prick he feels like on a particular day.

But let's act fast, because we've also got legislation in the works that might protect that pharmacist's right to be a judgmental prick -- another goofy Private Member's Bill, Bill C-537. Bill C-537 would allow health care personnel to opt of procedures that go against their religious beliefs, instead of doing what they should have done in the first place: make a different career choice that wouldn't put them in that position to begin with. The Catholic Civil Rights League is ecstatic about it, and you know that can't be good:

"The Catholic Civil Rights League welcomed the introduction of Private Member’s Bill C-537, April 16 by MP Maurice Vellacott (Saskatoon – Wanuskewin) to protect conscience rights of health care workers.

Introducing the motion in Parliament, Mr. Vellacott said it “would prohibit coercion in medical procedures that offend a person’s religion or belief that human life is inviolable. The bill seeks to ensure that health care providers will never be forced to participate against their will in procedures such as abortions or acts of euthanasia.” Private members’ bills do not often become law. This is the third Parliament in which Mr. Vellacott has introduced a bill on this topic."

The third time!? It must be the season for recycling failed socially-conservative private member's bills and giving them another kick at the can. Bill C-484 was another legislative retread that returned from the void to take a run at becoming law. Two anti-choice bills: one from the procedural side, one from the provider side. If I was paranoid, I'd be starting to feel surrounded.