Ford says no plans to re-open abortion debate despite MPP comments

Pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators took to the front lawn of Queen’s Park with several Ford government MPP’s addressing the crowd.

Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff told the gathering he vowed to make abortion “unthinkable in our lifetime.” He was joined on stage by Scarborough Centre MPP Christina Mitas and Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma, who also expressed their support for the pro-life demonstrators.

Inside the legislature, Oosterhoff at first tried to dodge reporter questions, saying he said “everything I had to say outside.”

But when pressed, he quoted Dr. Seuss.

“A person’s a person no matter how small,” before adding “I’ve always said I’m pro-life.”

During question period Premier Doug Ford deferred all questions to Energy Minister Greg Rickford before eventually issuing a statement saying, “The Ontario PC party is a big tent” and that it welcomed members from a “wide variety of backgrounds and beliefs.” It concluded by saying the government will not re-open the abortion debate.

NDP critic Marit Stiles said she was not satisfied with the mixed messages being sent by the government.

“The idea that this government and this premier were not willing to distance themselves immediately from those statements is very concerning,” said Stiles. “I don’t know who he’s pandering to but what he is doing is causing women around this province right now to be very scared for the future of their right to choose.”

NDP leader Andrea Horwath issued a statement, calling on Ford to denounce his MPP’s “dangerous, anti-choice and anti-women position.”