A stupendously dishonest letter, with attachments, from Woody himself begging his colleagues to support Woodworth's Wank, aka Motion 312, aka A Duplicitous Motion to Prepare the Ground for Recriminalizing Abortion.
Here it is with his own bold faithfully reproduced.
September 14, 2012Breath-taking, isn't it?
Dear Colleague:
Re: Motion 312
1. I am enclosing a copy of Subsection 223(1), the law which is the sole focus of Motion 312. You will see that Subsection 223(1) is a 400 year old law which decrees the dehumanization and exclusion of an entire class of people we know to be human beings, namely, children before the moment of complete birth.
This is a direct assault upon the principle of universal human rights, which insists that every human being has an inherent worth and dignity which the state must recognize rather than merely a value assigned by others based on the utility or inconvenience of that human being.
2. I am also enclosing an extract from the judgment of Supreme Court of Canada Justice Bertha Wilson in her 1988 Morgentaler decision throwing out Canada’s abortion law. Justice Wilson was a woman of impeccable feminist credentials.
You will see from this extract that Justice Wilson left open the question of protecting the rights of children before birth for resolution by Parliament. Subsequent Supreme Court of Canada decisions have also left open this question for Parliament to resolve. Far from "re-opening" this issue, Motion 312 proposes the consensus-building dialogue which is the only path to finally closing it. This is in fact what Justice Wilson suggested.
You will also see that Justice Wilson concluded, like me, that the existing recognition only at complete birth is wrong, suggesting that it ought to be at some point in the second trimester of the child’s development. She did not regard this to be inconsistent with her decision on abortion.
3. Finally, I am enclosing a copy of Motion 312 itself. Please note that Motion 312 proposes no legislation (on abortion or anything else) and insists that the Committee also refrain from doing so. The Committee will merely study the evidence and report all available options.
Please also note that Motion 312 directs the Committee to respect all Supreme Court of Canada decisions. All existing women‟s rights are protected by this provision!
Laws like Subsection 223(1), which decree the dehumanization and exclusion of an entire class of people, deny the principle of universal human rights. That principle, which asserts that every human being possesses equal and inherent worth and dignity is the bedrock upon which all of other our laws rest.
No 400 year old law should be frozen in time, forever immune from democratic review and forever immune from advances in understanding.
Please support the mere study proposed by Motion 312.
Sincerely,
Stephen Woodworth
Member of Parliament
Kitchener Centre
I could go through each word and phrase and thought and rip it all to ribbons of duplicitous, mealy-mouthed horseshit, but I'm so thoroughly disgusted and enraged that I will -- at least for now -- point out two things only.
1. The clear intent of this charade from its inception has been to close the abortion debate -- without, miraculously, opening it -- by setting the scene for a law limiting abortion to the period ending at mid-second trimester.
2. Woodworth does indeed have the words 'woman' and 'women' in his vocabulary, but uses them only a) to invoke a Canadian feminist icon or b) to outright lie about their rights.
There is more to say, of course, and I'm sure wise, sensible people will weigh in with their
The good news is that there is just a little more to endure. Monday, Woody will hold a press conference; Friday will see the final hour of debate; and then there's the vote on September 26 to once and for at least a generation kill any notion of turning back the clock on reproductive rights.
And we can finally say buh-bye to this shit.
BONUS: JJ writes From the Horse's Ass Mouth.
UPDATE: In the comments choice joyce reminds us that Chantal Hébert thinks the vote might be close. Gender Focus has the goods on what we need to do next.
UPDATE 2: ARCC now also has a page with what needs doing now.
