Stephen Woodworth

[Special Committee on Subsection 223(1) of the Criminal Code, September 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our great democracy was founded on the promise that two founding nations in conflict could reconcile their differences peaceably. Generations of Canadians have lived and died to defend the dream of universal human rights and honest laws so necessary to fulfill that promise. These ideals created unity out of diversity and made Canada a bright beacon of hope.

The sweep of history for 400 years has brought ever greater recognition of the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. That bedrock foundation anchors Canada's essential character. We are here in Parliament to honour that vision of Canada. We are here to seek out a spirit of compromise amid passionate debate. We are here to embrace advancing knowledge in the service of universal human rights.

Motion No. 312 honours those essential duties. Motion No. 312 seeks merely to shine the light of 21st century knowledge upon our 400-year-old law which decrees the dehumanization and exclusion of a whole class of people, children before the moment of complete birth.

About abortion, I say this: recognizing children as human before the moment of complete birth will not resolve that issue. Even Justice Bertha Wilson, who championed abortion rights in the Morgentaler decision, wrote that Parliament should “inform itself from the relevant disciplines”, the very proposal embodied in Motion No. 312.

Recognizing the reality that children are human beings before complete birth will affirm the hallowed principle that human rights are universal, not a gift of the state that can be cancelled by subsection 223(1).

It would be a triumph of leadership to insist that our definition of human being must not remain frozen in time forever, immune from the light of advancing knowledge, immune from all democratic governance and immune from the spirit of open dialogue.

It would honour our commitment to honest laws to recognize a child's worth and dignity as a human being before the moment of complete birth if the evidence established that as fact.

It would fulfill our shared vision of Canada to allow, despite extreme and intransigent opposition, a mere study about human rights, even if modern evidence might cause some to question our laws. Or will Parliament reject those Canadian ideals? Is that what Parliament has come to?

I thank, and many Canadians thank, the members who stand with me against that dismal view.

Yet we in Parliament cannot allow ourselves sustain, we cannot protect, we cannot without help safeguard, this great vision of Canada. The hope of a Canada governed by honest laws rests in the hearts of every Canadian. The pledge offered by countless Canadians to the high principle of universal human rights will not be overcome by any decision of this Parliament. We may safely place our confidence in the certainty that Canadians will not rest content with the perpetual absence of open dialogue on this issue.

There is no more noble undertaking than to fulfill that essential promise of Canada. Join me in the conversation so necessary to reconcile Canadians.

[Petitions, September 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present from my riding of Kitchener Centre. They are mainly signed by women, and total over 200 signatures, all of whom are concerned that our 400-year-old definition of human being does not recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. They are asking Parliament to address that in light of 21st century evidence.

I have another petition to the same effect from the riding of St. Catharines, with over 420 signatures, and another from the riding of Ajax—Pickering, with almost 50 signatures. The petitioners call on Parliament to amend section 223 of the Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century knowledge.

I have another petition from the riding of Calgary West, with 50 signatures, and two from the riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills, with over 138 signatures, and another from the riding of Cambridge, with over 120 signatures. I could go on but I am out of time.

[Petitions, September 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I will begin with a petition from a total of 217 constituents of mine from Kitchener Centre. There are actually over five petitions, all of them referencing section 223 of the Criminal Code.

The petitioners point out that the section says that a child does not become a human being until the moment of complete birth, contrary to 21st medical evidence. They call on the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human.

I have a petition to similar effect with several dozen signatures from the riding of Northumberland—Quinte West also calling on Parliament to recognize the principle that every human being has inherent worth and dignity.

I have two petitions from the riding of Etobicoke Centre, totalling almost 120 people from those ridings to the same effect.

Further, I have almost 100 signatures on a petition from the riding of Palliser, Saskatchewan, another 25 signatures from the riding of Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre and another 65 signatures in two petitions from the riding of Oxford.

[Petitions, September 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a petition from over 400 constituents from Kitchener Centre and nearby areas in support of a review of our Middle Ages definition of a human being and request the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law and no ideology requires otherwise.

I would also like to table a petition from the riding of my good friend and colleague the member for Cambridge North Dumfries to the same effect.

I also present a petition from the constituents from the riding of Durham to the same effect and two petitions constituting almost 200 constituents from the riding of Kitchener—Waterloo, all of whom believe that the Parliament of Canada should recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every human being.

[Petitions, June 6th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to present a number of petitions on a related subject close to my heart.

First, I present a petition from residents of the riding of Burlington who begin by saying that whereas Canada's 400-year-old definition of a human being says a child does not become a human being until the moment of complete birth, contrary to 21st century medical evidence, and whereas Parliament has a solemn duty to reject any law that says some human beings are not human, they therefore call upon the House of Commons and Parliament assembled to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

The second petition is from constituents in the riding of Westlock—St. Paul. In substantially the same terms, it also suggests to the House that human rights are universal and that every human being's human rights should be recognized, and it calls upon the House to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

The next petition is from the riding of Mississauga—Erindale. Constituents in that riding are asking the House of Commons and Parliament assembled to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence. They do not want members of Parliament to turn their eyes away from 21st century medical evidence on this point.

The last petition has 202 signatures from the riding of Oakville. Constituents of that riding are affirming that Parliament has a solemn duty to reject any law that says some human beings are not human and, in so doing, to affirm that human rights are universally respected in Canada and that every human being is a human being. They are asking the Parliament of Canada to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

I would be happy if Parliament would not shut its eyes and would conduct a study of the evidence on this point, as is its duty.

[Petitions, June 1st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from Canadians from Cardston, Alberta, who point out that Canada's 400-year-old definition of a human being says that a child does not become a human being until the moment of complete birth, contrary to 21st century medical evidence.

The petitioners point out that Parliament has a solemn duty to reject any law that says some human beings are not human. They call upon the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

As the House would know, this would only support the high principle of universal human rights.

[Petitions, May 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour today to present a petition to the House from quite a large number of people in Victoria, British Columbia.

The petitioners point out that Canada is the only nation in the western world, in the company of China and North Korea, in having no laws whatsoever protecting children before birth. They point out that Canada's Supreme Court has said that it is Parliament's responsibility to enact legislation protecting children before birth.

The petitioners, therefore, call upon the House of Commons to do so.

My simple request is that we look at the law which falsely misrepresents children before birth as not human beings. I hope that all parliamentarians will agree that we should study the scientific evidence on that.

[Restoring Rail Service Act, May 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciated my friend's comments although, quite frankly, he was entering into details of collective agreement negotiations when all this legislation would do is refer those matters to arbitration, where I am quite certain that an intelligent and reasonable resolution would be reached.

One thing we know for sure is that all around the world economies are in trouble and are faltering and we are walking on eggshells. We want to ensure that the Canadian economy remains strong and remains vibrant. Every time we have a major national disruption, the opposition votes to continue it. It refuses to support our efforts to limit damage to the economy.

I would like to know why the member opposite does that when the parties have been unsuccessful in their talks for so many months, since late last year.

[Kindred Spirit Award, May 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this year, Kitchener celebrates its 100th anniversary as a city. On June 10, 1912, the town of Berlin became the city of Kitchener, my lifetime home.

Our dynamic city and many public-spirited, hard-working people make me proud to be the member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre.

Just this past week, two Kitchener residents, Randy Rollo and Tara McTeer, were honoured with the Kindred Spirit Award from the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre, ROOF, Ray of Hope and the YWCA for their support of the homeless. Both Randy and Tara experienced homelessness and now they give back to those facing similar obstacles.

Randy helped to start the Out of the Cold Shelter program and has volunteered since 1999. Tara is a health worker at Mary's Place and volunteers with many organizations in Kitchener. They are evidence of Kitchener's greatest asset, our generous and hard-working people.

[Iran, May 14th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for putting the point so well. As we stand here in the House, we must not forget that we represent Canadians. Canadians are justifiably proud of our justice system and our stand against human rights abuse, which with few exceptions, is well known around the world as a beacon on the hill.

I want to close these remarks by giving my hon. colleagues some inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, who did observe something very germane to this debate. He was a wise man and much to be admired. Mahatma Gandhi, and again I am going to paraphrase a bit, observed that murderers and tyrants will often arise but they shall pass away. Truth and love will endure forever. We must stand together to represent that value to the world in relation to Iran.