A pro-choice activist says Canadians should wake up to the possibility of the Conservatives recriminalizing abortion if they win the October 14 election.

Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition   of Canada told the Georgia Straight that the Conservatives had a hidden agenda in the past, but it’s more in the open, thanks to their support of Bill C-484.

She said that the bill, which was supported by 93 percent of Conservative MPs,  recognizes a fetus  as a legal person.

“You can’t give rights to a fetus without undermining the rights of women,” Arthur said. “I think even though that bill actually excluded abortion, it creates a danger because it sets a precedent for applying a new definition of a human being across the board to other laws. It sets the stage for recriminalizing abortion in the future through other laws, so it is a very dangerous precedent. We do believe it was a backdoor attempt, an incremental approach, to recriminalizing abortion. It is sort of proven by the strong Conservative support for the bill.”

It was introduced as a private member's bill, The Unborn Victims of Crime Act, and went through second reading last March. Opponents have issued 14 "talking points" that people can use in letters to MPs.

Arthur said that she expects that Bill C-484, which died on the order paper, will be brought back if the Conservatives are reelected.

On Saturday (September 27), there will be a Vancouver forum on this issue at the YWCA at 535 Hornby Street (on the 4th floor) starting at 6:30 p.m.

Speakers include Arthur, Vancouver Centre Liberal MP Hedy Fry, Vancouver East NDP MP Libby Davies, Alison Brewin of West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, and Penny Bain of Women Against Violence Against Women.