Yorkton MP's Bill C-311 defeated after stirring debate over abortion

Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall rises in the House of Commons Friday May 28, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

A Saskatchewan MP’s private members bill that stirred up debate over abortion has been defeated in the House of Commons.

Conservative Yorkton-Melville MP Cathay Wagantall has come under fire for her bill, C-311.

The bill, also called the “Violence Against Pregnant Women Act” was criticized by advocates and organizations such as Abortion Is Health Care Signs Inc., who described the act as a ‘sneaky bill’ aimed at granting personhood to a fetus and restricting access to abortion.

“She [Wagantall] introduced the bill on the premise that she wants judges to have to give higher sentences if someone knows a woman is pregnant, and attacks her, hurts her, or causes her harm in any way,” Megan Johnston, founder of the organization, told CTV News.

“It’s kind of like this, sneaky bill, this first step bill that comes from the anti-abortion movement.”

Wagantall opposes abortion, but said the bill itself had nothing to do with it.

She maintained that the proposed bill was entirely focused on violence against women.

Opposition to the bill led to a billboard going up in Yorkton, proclaiming “Abortion is Healthcare.”

Bill C-311 was defeated during its second reading on Wednesday.