Premier Legault says CAQ’s MNAs and election candidates are all pro-choice

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QUEBEC — All the Coalition Avenir Québec MNAs in the caucus and candidates running in the fall election are pro-choice, Premier François Legault said Wednesday as the debate over abortion access in the United States spilled into Quebec.

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“It’s not normal” for political parties to accept candidates who are against abortion rights, Legault said as he arrived for question period at the legislature. “There should not be (any).”

Asked if any CAQ candidates will be against abortion rights, I answered: “There are none and there won’t be any.”

Asked if all the current 76 CAQ MNAs are pro-choice, Legault said “yes,” before walking off.

Legault made the comments as the debate over abortion access summarized in North America, following the leak of a draft ruling suggesting the United States Supreme Court is prepared to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Politicians all over Canada have been commenting on the leak and the possible spinoff effects in this country.

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At her morning news conference Wednesday, Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said nobody should accept any compromises on the issue.

“I would ask all political parties to clearly have candidates who are not against abortion,” Anglade said.

On Tuesday, MNAs at the National Assembly unanimously voted in favor of a motion defending the right to abortion access.

The motion states MNAs stand in “sincere solidarity with American women who see their rights called into question and who fear the loss of a significant part of their freedoms.”

“It is an inalienable right of all Quebec women, and there is absolutely no doubt we will always be with women who choose to voluntarily end a pregnancy,” Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette told reporters.

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For the moment, only the Quebec Conservative Party has a candidate who has confirmed pro-life views: Roy Eappen, who is running in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

In Ottawa Tuesday, politicians including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau affirmed their existing views on a woman’s right to choose.

In a tweet, Trudeau said: “The right to choose is a woman’s right and a woman’s right alone. Every woman in Canada has a right to a safe and legal abortion. We’ll never go back down from protecting and promoting women’s rights in Canada and around the world.”

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Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante also expressed her opinion.

“I add my voice to those of all Americans who demand that their right to decide what happens to their body be respected,” Plante tweeted. “Limiting their rights is unacceptable. We will not tolerate any retreat.”

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