I was looking forward to writing here daily again once I was done with my finals and back from the APIRG retreat, but it would seem this has not been the case. Since Monday, I’ve been helping to plan a rally against Edmonton-Sherwood Park Mp Ken Epp’s Unborn Victims of Crime Bill (C-484). I’ve written about it in the past, but this time I’m helping take action against it.
So, if you’re in Edmonton (or even Alberta, if you’re really dedicated), please come out to the event. The information follows (it is the email that was sent through listservs and such):
National Day of Action for Women’s Rights
Stop Bill C-484!
Who: Hosted by the University of Alberta Women’s Centre and CJSR’s Adamant Eve
Where: Gazebo Park (beside the Farmers’ Market); 104 St & 83 Ave
When: Saturday, May 3, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
What: A Protest against Bill C-484, the Unborn Victims of Crime Bill
Speakers include: Dr. Rebecca Stringer, Linda Duncan and Medical Students for Choice
Why: Bill C-484 seriously threatens a woman’s right to reproductive choice
Ken Epp’s Unborn Victims of Crime Bill, if passed, would grant fetuses legal
personhood, seriously threatening women’s reproductive rights and equality
rights in general. The inclusion of Section 7, which explains lawful and
elective abortion would be exempt from the law, is an attempt to convince
Canadians that this bill is harmless. However, if enacted, the law
would play a dangerously significant role in furthering the
anti-choice goal of recriminalizing abortion. In the US, these laws
have been transformed into tools for policing pregnant women instead
of directly working to reduce violence against them. Having already
passed a second reading, we cannot allow this bill to go any further.
For more information, please visit the Abortion Rights Coalition of
Canada website (www.arcc-cdac.ca) and this link in particular
(www.arcc-cdac.ca/action/unborn-victims-act.htm).
Also, if you’re in Ottawa or Fredericton, they have events going on as well, which you can find through Facebook.
Edmonton: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12939458228
Ottawa: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10262692450
Fredericton: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=9916029686
I hope that those of you who are in those areas are able to come out and showcase your opposition to this bill. The ARCC website also has a petition you can sign.
Anyway, dear readers, I’ll hopefully return to writing almost daily once all this craziness is up! Hopefully I’ll have pictures to post from the rally once it’s over.
Posted by Derek
