Vellacott's Last Gasp

In the other recent yawn story, Maurice Vellacott is taking his last kick at the abortion can.

He's moving two motions to 'study' the abortion issue. Full text of both here.

Both motions are almost certainly doomed to fail. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been consistent on having no desire to reopen the abortion debates in Canada, and his party has shut down numerous efforts by pro-life caucus members to do so.

Vellacott expects the votes to take place within a couple of days of the House of Commons returning in January. This is the last chance Vellacott has to bring the matter forward. First elected in the riding of Saskatoon–Wanuskewin as a Reform MP in 1997, he announced in July he will not be seeking a seventh term in office.

We should make some noise at our MPs, of course, but I think this guy is hyperventalating on the effects of Michael Chong's equally doomed motion to reclaim some democracy for MPs.

Though Chong's clear intent with this bill is to give more power to the MPs and reduce the power of the Prime Minister and other other party leaders, I believe that possible consequences of this bill are that certain MPs may gain the power to reopen the abortion debate with a view of criminalizing abortion. This should be a wake-up call to the Liberals, NDP, Conservatives and all Canadians who support a women's right to choose.

Not. Gonna. Happen.

Good-bye, Maurice. Have a good time back in whatever century you emanated from.