Ottawa

‘Either you vote with your conscience or you don’t’

Conservative MP Rick Norlock explains his vote in favour of Motion 312.

“I voted with my conscience,” said the member from Northumberland Quinte West, despite a Conservative campaign promise not to reopen the abortion debate … “I know it was part of our party platform not to reopen the (abortion) debate, but either you vote with your conscience or you don’t,” said Norlock. “I did not want to treat this issue in a political manner.”

… Norlock suggests that in the future, if Canadian voters want that changed, they should have the choice to vote on the issue through a national referendum. “This is an issue that can tear families apart. I go to a lot of public and private functions, it’s an issue that people don’t talk about. It’s a personal issue and should be left up to the individual,” said Norlock.

And Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux explains his vote in favour.

Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North) was one of just four Liberal MPs who voted in favour of the motion. He said Wednesday he supports a woman’s right to choose. However, he said that’s not what this motion was about. “I would never deny anyone the right to have an abortion, but I am entitled to a personal opinion, and if you read what was actually voted on, we were not voting on (a woman’s right to choose),” he said.

Lamoureux initially said he did not believe his office had any communication from constituents about the motion, but he later said there were some calls and emails and that the people were evenly split on the issue.

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