In Canada, I think we've turned a ginormous corner. In fact, 2014 was more a year of what did not happen rather than what did.
*First, there was not one single public opinion poll on abortion in 2014. None. Nobody wanted to pony up to pay for what everybody knows. Abortion rights are a done deal here. And we're sick to fucking death of talking about it. (See UPDATE below.)
Next, Justin Trudeau came right out and said that the Liberal Party of Canada is pro-choice and anybody who is not prepared to vote accordingly on such legislation should take their allegiance elsewhere. There was some squealing from the predictable dusty old corners of the party to which Trudeau replied:
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, faced with an open letter from seven former Liberal MPs denouncing him for his stance on abortion, tweeted that the days "when old men get to decide what a woman does with her body are long gone.And speaking of dusty, crusty, fusty old corners, there were just a few feeble pokes at the back-door of abortion rights, namely from at-long-fucking-last-about-to-retire Maurice Vellacott and Stephen ("The Wanker") Woodworth.
On Vellacott's motions, The Star reported (and was proven correct):
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.
In Saskatchewan, local fetus freaks launched a letter-writing campaign to force under-age people to get parental consent for an abortion, but after some schooling, Health Minister Dustin Duncan replied that abortion restrictions are not up to the government but rather the medical profession.
That's rather exhilarating to hear a politician admit, isn't it?
Even more exhilarating to us is the stink of acknowledged failure emanating from Official Fetus Freakdom. Its focus on one method of abortion, rather than the entire evil practice, for its annual March of the Fetii Bunfest signals their admission that instituting an abortion ban is beyond them, but hey give us a little sop, eh? Ban just this one method, pretty pleeeeeze?
Perhaps also in recognition that they're losing badly, attendance was significantly down at the March for Lies, and organizers didn't even bother to whine when their inflated estimates were dismissed by all legit observers.
All of these non-events betoken a growing shift towards seeing abortion as simply not a moral issue. Worldwide, people are increasingly accepting abortion and birth control as simple facts of life of no consequence to any but the individuals involved.
Now, for some things that did happen.
First, New Brunswick!!!! A new generation of activists made themselves heard to a (hopefully) new generation of politicians. We will watch to see how this plays out, but we are tremendously proud of our children and grandchildren for their hard work and clever strategizing.
Next, PEI where outgoing Premier Ghiz finally comes out as pro-choice but anti-action. He seems content to live in a place where people can't have nice things, despite the fact that nice local abortions would actually save the government money. More work needed there.
Over at the brand spanking new Museum of Human Rights, a woman's right to choose was publicly and federally celebrated in an exhibit featuring Dr Henry Morgentaler.
And lastly, a very cool thing happened in Ontario. When it was pointed out to the Trillium Foundation, which dispenses public funds from the government's various numbers rackets, that it was supporting a religious organization whose mission it is to deny those very human rights, it promptly yanked the dough.
In the new year, we -- and many other reproductive justice watchers -- are expecting Health Canada to approve the "gold standard" of medical abortion, mifepristone.
This act will finally prove to the world and to all of us that Canada is fully committed to PRO-CHOICE policies. Even total nutbars like SUZY ALLCAPS recognizes that it will be game over for her and her gang.
And Canada is never going back.
There will be, of course, a few ongoing battles, but the war will be over.
(Things are not so rosy in many other places and if we get a few minutes, we'll report on those events and developments for 2014.)
UPDATE (January 3/15): Wrong. There was the annual Angus Reid Global poll showing no change.
