Leave abortion as is: poll
Almost three-quarters of Canadians want legal status quo
Nearly three-quarters of Canadians believe the federal government should let lie the abortion issue, instead of reopening the debate, according to new polling from Maru Public Opinion, yet nearly 80 per cent believe the Liberals should move to legislatively protect the right to abortion.
The poll, released roughly one week after the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that shows the nearly half-century old legal precedent legalizing abortion in the United States could be overturned, shows that 72 per cent of Canadians believe abortion should be left how it is in Canada — with no federal law whatsoever.
Just 11 per cent of Canadians believe the government should revisit the question of there being no limits by law on abortion, while a further nine per cent don't care, and eight per cent say they don't know what government should do.
“Politicians have been really, really reluctant to touch this issue, really since the 1970s,” said Kelly Gordon, a McGill University political scientist who studies abortion politics.
“Since 1991, when (then Prime Minister Brian) Mulroney tried to pass an abortion law and it failed in the Senate, no sitting government has tabled any abortion-related legislation.”
The figures suggest some inconsistency in Canadians' views. While 72 per cent don't want the debate reopened, 63 per cent say they're OK with the current situation. And, in spite of both those things, 78 per cent of Canadians believe the federal government needs to pass laws to protect abortion rights.
“You can say that you would like to have the legislation or you'd like to have the federal government be able to settle this issue. On the other hand, by reopening it, it is going to cause great debate, consternation and division,” said John Wright, executive vice-president of Maru Public Opinion.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court leak, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed that his government would protect abortion rights in Canada — although it's unclear how the Liberals might go about this.
“He probably has the majority in Parliament to pass something and it will put the Conservatives on the defensive,” said Wright. “On the other hand, by reopening something it unleashes views in this country which are volatile.”
Eighty-eight per cent of Quebecers support introducing law to protect abortion rights, followed by 83 per cent in B.C., 77 per cent in Ontario, 71 per cent in Atlantic Canada and 65 per cent of those in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Indeed, 50 per cent of Canadians believe abortion rights in Canada are now under threat because of the U.S. court decision and 70 per cent believe Trudeau's promise is a genuine one, and not a “cynical political ploy.”
A further substantial majority — 73 per cent — believe a woman should be able to get an abortion “no matter what the reason.”
Twenty-one per cent believe abortion should be legal only in certain circumstances: 70 per cent say it should be legal if the mother's life is at risk, 63 per cent if the pregnancy is from rape or incest and 44 per cent if the baby “may be severely physically impaired,” 43 per cent if the baby may be “severely mentally impaired.” Just 28 per cent believe an abortion should be legal if the mother's mental health is at risk, 13 per cent if the pregnancy is unwanted and 10 per cent if the baby “cannot be financially supported.”