Mr. Woodworth’s speech–full text

Mr. Speaker, our great democracy was founded on the promise that two founding nations in conflict could reconcile their differences peaceably.  Generations of Canadians have lived – and died – to defend the dream of universal human rights and honest laws so necessary to fulfill that promise.

These ideals created unity out of diversity and made Canada a bright beacon of hope.

The sweep of history for 400 years has brought ever greater recognition of the inherent worth and dignity of everyhuman being.  That bedrock foundation anchors Canada’s essential character.

We are here in Parliament to honour that vision of Canada.  We are here to seek out a spirit of compromise amid passionate debate.  We are here to embrace advancing knowledge in the service of universal human rights.

Motion 312 honours those essential duties.  Motion 312 seeks merely to shine the light of 21st century knowledge upon our 400 year old law which decrees the dehumanization and exclusion of a whole class of people, children before complete birth.

About abortion, I say this:  recognizing children as human before the moment of complete birth will not resolve that issue.

Even Justice Bertha Wilson, who championed abortion rights in the Morgentaler decision, wrote that Parliament should “inform itself from the relevant disciplines”, the very proposal embodied in Motion 312.

Recognizing the reality that children are human beings before complete birth will affirm the hallowed principle that human rights are universal, not a gift of the State which may be cancelled by subsection 223(1).

It would be a triumph of leadership to insist that our definition of human being must not remain frozen in time forever, immune from the light of advancing knowledge, immune from democratic governance, and immune from the spirit of open dialogue.

It would honour our commitment to honest laws to recognize a child’s worth and dignity as a human being beforethe moment of complete birth if the evidence establishes that as fact.

It would fulfil our shared vision of Canada to allow, despite extreme and intransigent opposition, a mere study about human rights even if modern evidence might cause some to question our laws.

Or will Parliament reject those Canadian ideals? Is THAT what Parliament has come to?

I thank, and many Canadians thank, the Members who stand with me against that dismal view.

Yet we in Parliament cannot ourselves sustain – we cannot protect – we cannot without help safeguard – this great vision of Canada.  The hope of a Canada governed by honest laws rests in the heart of every Canadian.  The pledgeoffered by countless Canadians to the high principle of universal human rights will not be overcome by any decision of this Parliament.  We may safely place our confidence in the certainty that Canadians will not rest content with the perpetual absence of open dialogue on this issue.

There is no more noble undertaking than to fulfill that essential promise of Canada.  Join me in the conversation so necessary to reconcile Canadians.

Thank you.