Mr. Speaker, my petitioners note that in federal criminal law right now an unborn child is not recognized as a victim with respect to violent crimes. When Olivia Talbot of Edmonton was shot and killed in November 2005, her 27 week old unborn son Lane Jr. also died. Because there is no legal protection for unborn children today, no charge could be laid in the death of baby Lane.
The petitioners have indicated that studies show that violence against women often begins or escalates during pregnancy. Therefore, the petitioners are calling on Parliament to enact legislation which would recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence against the mother, allowing two charges to be laid against the offender instead of one.