Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First off, I did not read into the motion “abortion”. It's explicitly mentioned in the motion four times.
Look, I appreciate that Madam Fry introduced this motion. Part of the motion I'm concerned about is the part that says “given recent reports of international backsliding related to women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights”. Taken in the context of overall parliamentary business, it's a clear reference to the leaked draft by the Supreme Court of the United States and I think, Mr. Chair, that's the problem in the motion. I think we do not want Canada-U.S. relations to be consumed by the issue of abortion.
I agree with Dr. Fry about the issue of abortion in many other countries around the world. I agree with her on reports of gender-based violence against women in Ukraine and elsewhere. I agree with her on all of those issues. I think it's important that women have access to reproductive practices. Mr. Chair, I want to emphasize that I fully support women's reproductive and health rights. I do not support any change to Canada's existing legislative framework, both statutory and non-statutory. I have heard loud and clear over many years that Canadians do not want the issue of abortion to be reopened. They do not want this debate to be reopened in this country.
The framing of this motion is the issue. It is in the context of the recent leaked draft by the Supreme Court of the United States.