BC ELECTION May 12, 2009 - PREAMBLES TO QUESTIONS

1. Conscience Legislation

More and more professionals are facing censure for refusing to participate in activities against their conscience. Health care professionals are under increased pressure to participate in abortions or to face consequences, including job loss. More recently, in some provinces marriage commissioners are being forced to resign for refusing to marry same-sex partners, and at least one B.C. teacher has been disciplined for his reluctance to promote homosexuality as a healthy lifestyle.

Do you support a law protecting professionals, such as healthcare providers, educators and clergy, from disciplinary action for refusing to participate in activities that violate their religious or moral beliefs?

2. Tax-Benefits for Families

The federal government has mandated that provincial governments shall administer the new National Day Care proposal. In order to ensure that all daycare-aged children are treated the same no matter where they are cared for, and that BC implements this proposed daycare program and provincial income taxation fairly and for the benefit of  all women, their families and children, it would be helpful if voters in BC had an indication of where their candidates stand regarding the issue of provincial income taxation. 

If elected, would you support income splitting for single income families to address the current inequity of treatment of mothers who remain at home to care for their children compared to mothers who go out to work and put their child/children in daycare?

3. Informed Consent for Abortions

Informed consent is an essential component of all medical services. Many women who have had abortions say they were told nothing about fetal development prior to the procedure. Most were told very little about complications and risks of future physical and mental health problems. Women considering abortion deserve detailed information, including viewing their own ultrasound, before they decide whether they will abort their baby.

Would you support legislation that would require women seeking abortions to be given detailed information prior to consenting to the procedure? This would include information on human fetal development and all possible risks and complications.

4. Parental consent for infant's health care

Children at the age of 14 have the right under the British Columbia Infant's act to seek out and obtain their own medical treatment, including abortion, without the knowledge or consent of their parent or guardian.

Will you support legislation that will require parental or guardian's consent to an infant's health care except in the case of a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment when the consent of the parent or guardian is not available? (By "infant's" is meant "minor's"--infant's" as used in the provincial "Infant's Act").

5. Taxpayer Funding of Abortions

An October 2004 Environics poll found that 69% of British Columbians polled favoured de-insuring most abortions. The provincial government has the authority to decide what medical procedures will be covered by the Medical Services Plan. Women who choose to have an abortion continue to have the procedure fully covered by our tax dollars.

Currently, British Columbia taxpayers pay for over 15,000 abortions every year. Would you support de-insuring all abortions except those done for medical emergencies?*

Note: Emergency surgical or medical intervention, designed to prevent the death of the mother i.e. in the cases of tubal pregnancy or cervical cancer, which results in the unintended death of the preborn child, is not an abortion.