Poilievre vows not to pass law restricting abortion if he becomes PM

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that his party will not pass any laws or restrictions on a woman's right to choose if elected.

Pierre Poilievre vowed Friday that a Conservative government would never impose restrictions on abortion.

“I can guarantee you there will be no laws restricting abortion passed when I’m prime minister,” Poilievre said during a campaign stop in St. Catharines, Ont.

His comment came in response to a reporter’s question – citing a local candidate’s alleged ties to a U.S. anti-abortion group – about whether he would allow MPs to vote their conscience on the matter in Parliament.

Responding, Poilievre strongly emphasized that the Conservative Party has held as policy for more than two decades that there will be no restrictions imposed on a woman’s right to choose.

“It’s been in our policy since it was adopted by our party members in the year 2004, so this is a 21-year policy adopted by our members and upheld at all of our subsequent conventions,” Poilievre said.

“So there will be no laws or other restrictions imposed on a woman’s right to decide to do with her body as she wishes. And that is something that I’m guaranteeing to you and to all Canadians.”

While the issue has not been discussed much during the election campaign, it has been a very active topic in U.S. politics since the U.S. Supreme Court abruptly overturned the long-standing Roe vs. Wade decision in 2022. The decision gave constitutional protection to abortion in the U.S. Since it was overturned, a number of U.S. states have imposed sweeping anti-abortion laws.

In Canada, abortion has been legal since 1969. Laws which made its use conditional on approval by a three-doctor panel were struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1988.

Poilievre added that his stance would be “reiterated explicitly” in the Conservatives’ official election platform.