Women, Young Adults want Fetal Protection Laws
By Gudrun Schultz

A strong majority of Canadians indicated once again that they do not support the current lack of legal protection for the unborn in Canada, in a national survey on abortion commissioned by LifeCanada for the sixth year in a row. Women and young adults showed the highest levels of support for legal protection for the unborn, at 67% for both demographic groups. Overall, 62% of Canadians would support restrictions on abortion. Only 33% of Canadians are satisfied with the current lack of any legal protection before birth.

Two-thirds of Canadian women support legal protection for unborn children at some point before birth. More than one-third (34%) of women want to see protection from the point of conception onwards. An additional 33% would support protection for the unborn later in pregnancy, 21% after three months of pregnancy and 12% after six months. A smaller majority of men (57%) support legal protection, with 26% wanting protection for the unborn throughout pregnancy.

Young people between the ages of 18-29 showed the highest level of support across all age groups, with 67% indicating there should be legal protection for unborn children at some point before birth. Support for protection from conception onward rose to 29% among this age group since they were last polled, from 26% in 2006.

Canadians aged 60 or older showed the lowest support for fetal protection laws, with 38% indicating they were satisfied with the current lack of any protection for unborn children.

Across Canada, support for fetal protection at some point before birth was highest in the prairie region (65%), Quebec (64%) and the Atlantic provinces (63%). Residents of BC showed the lowest support at 58%, with Ontario a close second at 60%.

Residents of the Prairies and Atlantic Canada showed the highest support for protection from the point of conception onward, with 36% of Prairie respondents and 34% of people from the Maritimes indicating the unborn should be protected throughout pregnancy.

B.C., Quebec and Ontario showed the lowest support from protection for the unborn from the point of conception onward, at 24%, 30% and 29%, respectively.

A majority of Canadians indicated support for abortion legislation on a wide spectrum of issues, including protection for the unborn at some point before birth, informed consent laws and parental consent for girls under 18, and fetal protection in the case of violent crime against the mother.

Almost three-quarters of Canadians (72%) indicated they would support a fetal protection law making it a separate crime to kill or injure an unborn child during the course of attacking the mother. That number rose to 75% among women. Sixty-eight percent of men supported the legislation.

The poll results were released as the family of a murdered pregnant woman in Toronto called for legislation to recognize the death of the woman’s unborn baby as a separate crime. Aysun Sesen was killed October 2 by repeated stab wounds to her abdomen. Her seven-month unborn baby girl survived the initial assault but died before doctors could perform an emergency caesarian.

A strong majority of respondents would support informed consent laws for women seeking abortions. Such laws would require physicians and abortion clinics to give women certain information, such as the developmental stage of their unborn child including an ultrasound, the health risks and possible long-term side effects of abortion, and alternatives to abortion. Over two-thirds (67%) of respondents would support such laws. Only 29% opposed informed consent laws. Support for informed consent was highest in the Maritimes (72%) and Quebec (72%). Slightly more women (68%) were in favor of informed consent than men (66%). Again, young people age 18-29 showed the highest support for informed consent across age groups, at 70 percent.

A majority of Canadians would also support legislation requiring parental consent before abortion for girls under the age of 18. Fifty-four percent indicated they would like to see such laws, while 43% were opposed.

Canadians continue to show support for the withdrawal of tax funding for elective abortions. Currently in Canada, most abortions are covered at taxpayers’ expense, regardless of whether or not the abortion is deemed medically necessary. When asked under what circumstances abortion should be funded by taxpayers, a strong majority (64%) said abortions should be paid for privately or only funded by tax dollars in the case a medical emergency, such as a threat to the mother’s life, or in the case of rape or incest. Of those, 17% said abortion should always be a private expense. Only 32% supported the current situation where abortion is paid for using the tax-funded health care system.

The Environics Focus Canada poll questioned 2,047 Canadians from Sept. 17 to Oct. 14. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus two per cent, 19 times out of 20.