Backbone on the backbench

By Paul Schratz

Prime Minister Stephen Harper campaigned on a platform of bringing a higher level of democracy into the House of Commons, specifically promising a greater role for backbench MPs. A test of his commitment to that pledge is now before him.

Tory MP Leon Benoit (Vegreville – Wainwright) is introducing Bill C-291, which would amend the Criminal Code to provide some measure of protection for unborn children, particularly when it concerns violence against their mother.

Benoit specifically cited the case of Olivia Talbot, an Edmonton woman who was shot and killed, along with her 27-week unborn child. Present law does not allow any charges to be laid in connection with the baby’s death.

This legislation represents an important test in a couple of ways. First, it will give the public an opportunity to gauge how committed Prime Minister Harper is to giving backbench MPs a louder voice in Parliament.

It should also allow the public to see just how committed to women so-called pro-choice groups are. In all likelihood, these groups will oppose the legislation, being more intent on maintaining unrestricted access to abortion and on preventing anything that suggests any level of legal protection for the unborn.

Their position will be untenable. They can hardly maintain that their primary concern is women’s choice when it’s clearly not her decision for her unborn baby to die from a gunshot, knifing, or beating. Which women’s rights, equalities, or freedoms are advanced by such a position?

Unfortunately, there are reports that the bill has already been rejected by the parliamentary subcommittee examining it. The committee has apparently deemed the proposed legislation unconstitutional.

Let’s hope for two things: that the decision will be appealed, and that Prime Minister Harper will use this occasion as an opportunity to recommit his government to upholding higher standards of democracy in listening to backbench MPs, who have traditionally been relegated to bench-warming for majority governments.

There is hope that Prime Minister Harper will be faithful in elevating the profile of backbenchers, just as he has shown a willingness to listen to other voices that previously went unheard. He recently met with a delegation from the Catholic Women’s League, which in 24 years had never had a meeting with any prime minister. The fact that most of those prime ministers were Catholic does not speak well of their leaders’ receptivity to persons of faith, nor their appreciation for the practical and commonsense priorities that the CWL are working for, including trafficking in children and women, and child poverty.

Not only did Prime Minister Harper meet with them, he also apparently listened intently, offering his own observations on the delegation’s wish list.

It is interesting that Prime Minister Harper used the opportunity to remind the women that it is now easier for private members’ bills to become law, since the process for getting such bills approved has been simplified.

Ironically, the former prime minister himself stands to benefit from enhanced measures to give the average MP more responsibility. Paul Martin, himself a backbencher now, has his own piece of legislation he hopes to submit, a bill to help native people by addressing the standard-of-living gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians. Martin has said the native issue is "not a partisan thing. You can’t turn your back on a million people."

We shouldn’t turn our back on any innocent people, which is what Benoit’s legislation will try to remedy.

When the CWL brought up their concerns about possible assisted suicide legislation, the prime minister pledged to watch for any private member’s bills on the subject and ensure the government does not officially support one.