TOGETHER, WE CAN HELP BOTH THE MOTHER AND HER BABY.
“With your help we can continue to build the political pro-life movement in Alberta. Together, we can protect our most vulnerable by passing laws protecting life. Helping both the mother and her baby. Here’s how:”
Women deserve better than abortion. Together we can help both the mother and her baby by promoting positive, life-affirming alternatives to the practice of abortion.
Adoption: Unfortunately, there are fewer than 100 newborns placed for adoption each year in Alberta and fewer than 500 in all of Canada. Meanwhile, thousands of childless couples, many suffering the agony of infertility and miscarriage, are on waiting lists. The wait time to adopt a healthy newborn is 10 years, if it ever happens at all. All of this while over 11,000 preborn children are killed in the womb, in Alberta, every year. Alberta should boost support for women with unexpected pregnancies. Ease the challenges of putting a child up for adoption, by supporting women through all 9 months of pregnancy; and by expanding the influence of Alberta Adoption Services to better assist prospective parents who want to adopt a child.
Informed choice/consent: A women’s right to information about medical procedures should not be disregarded: Require that patients considering abortion be given full information on fetal development, including an ultrasound and all the possible psychological and physical health effects the procedure might have prior to the abortion being performed. They should also be given the full range of information about abortion alternatives and support available from various agencies and groups within the community. Most medical procedures require patients be fully-informed about the possible complications and side-effects before they consent. So when it comes to abortion — why are we not giving all the facts first?
Counseling: Promote counseling for women in unplanned pregnancies that will provide them with all the alternatives available to them including the possible physical, psychological and spiritual impacts an abortion could have. Provide counseling and adoption alternatives and empower them to choose life.
Parental consent legislation: A parent’s (or guardians) right to give consent, or be informed, before their minor child undergoes an abortion procedure as is already the case when minors undergo medical treatments; or even body modifications such as piercing or tattooing.
Parental notification for minors: As is currently the practice with invasive medical-procedures or treatments performed on minors, require that the legal guardians of a person under the age of 16 receive notification when an abortion is scheduled for their child.
24 Hour Waiting Period: Abortion is one of the most important decisions a woman can make. There are no do-overs. A twenty-four-hour waiting period would allow time to think things over and prevent a rash-decision, a rush to judgement, and a lifetime of regrets.
Bursting Bubble-zones: Rightfully, provisions already exist within the Criminal Code of Canada (Section 264) to charge, prosecute, and convict those who harass others. But bubble-zones prohibit anyone from demonstrating – even peacefully and silently – outside of an abortion clinic in Alberta. Restrictive bubble-zones around Alberta abortion clinics should be “popped” to restore the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly of pro-life Albertans and to provide women with information on safe and legal alternatives to abortion.
Ultrasound awareness: Ultrasound laws are important for women’s health. Often, prior to an operation, your doctor and medical team will review the operation with you. In some cases, you will view a video of the procedure in advance. They will inform you of how the procedure works, what will be done to your body, and frequently review any x-ray or MRI scans of the area of your body on which they will operate. If we are to treat the procurement of abortion “just like any other” medical procedure, then these steps should also be taken.
Increasing the emergency allowance for pregnant women escaping domestic abuse: Currently, the government has an “emergency allowance” which helps those fleeing domestic abuse resettle themselves. Some of those fleeing domestic abuse are pregnant. Imagine the enormous stress these women are under. Often without income, they have the additional stress of trying to make good decisions for their pre-born child. More money won’t make these problems go away, but it might make them a little easier for a woman and her pre-born son or daughter.
Eliminating public taxpayer funding of abortions: Currently, all abortions in Alberta are funded with taxpayer dollars through the provincial health care system. Alberta should enact a permanent, government-wide prohibition of taxpayer funding for abortion to ensure that taxpayer money is never used for the killing of innocent life. Alberta should oppose using public revenues to perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations which provide or refer for elective abortions rather than provide healthcare. Alberta should not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage.
Defunding elective, non-medically necessary abortions to fund the life affirming alternatives of crisis pregnancy support, parental support, and adoption.
With your help we can continue to build the political pro-life movement in Alberta. Together, we can protect our most vulnerable by passing laws protecting life. Helping both the mother and her baby. Now, lets get to work!