The New Democratic Party has taken aim at two Okanagan Green Party candidates for comments made regarding abortion rights that were published in an online political outlet earlier this week.
In an Thursday news release, the NDP pointed out several instances of anti-choice rhetoric from Green Party candidates across the country, including Robert Mellalieu (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) and Marc Reinarz (North Okanagan-Shuswap).
According to an exclusive report by , Mellalieu refused to identify as B次元官网网址減ro-choiceB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址減ro-lifeB次元官网网址� because B次元官网网址渋t is inappropriate to dilute the very complicated question of abortion to a simple binary answer.B次元官网网址� He then summed up his thoughts: B次元官网网址淚 believe there should not be a need for abortion.B次元官网网址�
The report also contains a comment from Reinarz, who said: B次元官网网址渁bortion must not be a means to birth control.B次元官网网址�
In an interview with Black Press Media, Reinarz said his sentiment is being misconstrued.
B次元官网网址淭his is not anti-abortion,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淢y standpoint is absolutely not anti-abortionB次元官网网址� I openly state that I donB次元官网网址檛 think its right to use abortion as a primary (method of) birth control. But who am I as a man in his 60s to decide what the consequences are if (a woman) doesnB次元官网网址檛 follow her mind?B次元官网网址�
Mellalieu could not be reached for comment but the Green Party candidate from the neighbouring riding of Kelowna-Lake Country provided his thoughts on the issue.
B次元官网网址�(MellalieuB次元官网网址檚) statement is pretty politically neutral,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚 think what he might be saying is that if there were better social services in place, better ability for single moms to access affordable housing and they could make the decision to bring a child into this life knowing that theyB次元官网网址檇 be well taken care of, maybe there might not be such a need for abortion as there is now under the current system.B次元官网网址�
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Robert Mellalieu, Green Party candidate for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, reached out to give his comments on the issue after the initial Black Press Media article published Thursday afternoon.
He said the statement he made in the report by PressProgress was misinterpreted.
B次元官网网址淚 will never waiver from a womanB次元官网网址檚 right to choose,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 sacrosanct, absolute, never changing that.B次元官网网址�
He clarified the statement he made saying he believes B次元官网网址渢here should not be a need for abortionB次元官网网址� was in reference to the lack of systems in place to help women in extreme situations.
B次元官网网址淚 hate abortion,B次元官网网址� said Mellalieu. B次元官网网址淪o I want to make sure thereB次元官网网址檚 everything we do as a society to prevent the need for a woman to exercise that right.B次元官网网址�
He went on to explain that more services and education are needed so that abortion can be a last resort option.
B次元官网网址淏ut at all times, itB次元官网网址檚 still her right to do that,B次元官网网址� he said.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May called the NDPB次元官网网址檚 attempt to point fingers at candidates B次元官网网址渄esperate.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not the case,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e are looking for details. We have no details about what they claim. We just know it is not true.B次元官网网址�
When asked about what freedoms Greens will have when it comes to speaking about abortion, May said the party is asking candidates to B次元官网网址渁scribeB次元官网网址� to the partyB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渃ore valuesB次元官网网址� and its policy and platform.
B次元官网网址淭here is a lot of room for people to move around on some issues,B次元官网网址� she said.
But if would-be candidates have problems with abortion, she said they cannot run.
B次元官网网址淎s leader of the party, I donB次元官网网址檛 have the power to whip votesB次元官网网址� we think whipping votes is anti-democratic. But I am quite confident that our candidates support the partyB次元官网网址檚 position, which that we mustnB次元官网网址檛 retreat on a womanB次元官网网址檚 right for a safe and legal abortion.
B次元官网网址淭he bad old days of women dying in back-alley abortions must never return.B次元官网网址�
May said the party did out would-be candidates because of their position on abortion.
B次元官网网址淲e actually had one person nominated, who we had to ask to stand down.B次元官网网址�
May said she felt bad about that decision because she was a very impressive candidate.
B次元官网网址淏ut she said that she couldnB次元官网网址檛 go along with itB次元官网网址o we did have some people removed well before the NDP tried to pretend that there was an issue. And they have candidates who donB次元官网网址檛 always agree with their positions. They whip votes; we donB次元官网网址檛.B次元官网网址�
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Abortion policy was a focus of Wednesday nightB次元官网网址檚 french debate. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer spent Thursday clarifying that he has no plans to reopen debates on abortion law, despite being B次元官网网址減ersonally pro-life.B次元官网网址�
May called the abortion issue a media one, calling it B次元官网网址渕anufactured.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 hear it all from the public,B次元官网网址� she said.
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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