Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer got a reminder last week of his commitment to allow his MPs to bring forward private members’ bills on controversial conscience issues like abortion. We Need a Law researcher Anna Nienhuis had a piece published in one of Canada’s leading newspapers, the National Post. She says it was partly written to drive home the point about those private members’ bills, but it had a broader focus. “The article also wanted to focus on (the fact) that there’s a shift in the pro-life movement; that means that the debate’s not going away,” regardless of what Mr. Scheer may want. She says the movement wants the free votes “for sure”, and “we are encouraged by his promise of a freer speech environment.” However, she says Scheer needs to know that the pro-life movement is more organized, more politically engaged, and getting Canadians more engaged to make it an issue for voters.

You can read Anna’s op-ed here.