Have you poked a Liberal lately? One body. One person. One count.

Ok, just kiddin'. You don't have to touch any Liberals, but I would urge you to email a few, particularly any Liberals with anti-choice bona fides (see page 2 of this .pdf for a list). You see, the House is due to vote on an anti-choice private member's bill on March 5, 2008. The "Unborn Victims of Crime Act" (C-484) was first presented by Conservative MP Ken Epp (Edmonton Sherwood Park). Birth Pangs issued a Call Out for today, Sadie Hawkins Day, asking pro-choice bloggers to post about C-484. The Creative Goddesses at ACR responded immediately with this motivational video:

As I said a few weeks ago, our government should be working towards increasing support and resources for pregnant women at risk of abuse or assault, but this bill has nothing to do with that. What's more, I guarantee you that we won't hear a word about new funding or resources when the House resumes debate on C-484.

Here's the relevant arithmetic via fern hill (post-2006 fed election numbers):

Action Canada Population and Development (ACPD) reported a new total of 90 anti-choice MPs from all parties, 16 Liberals and 74 Conservatives. [...] 65 MPs did not state their positions, (42 Conservatives, 23 Liberals).

Ok. There are a total of 308 seats in the HoC, and only 90 anti-choice MPs. But here's the problem: if you add the 65 undeclared MPs to the 90 anti-choicers, you get a potential maximum of 155 votes for Ken Epp's backdoor anti-choice bill. That's 50.3%.

Here's what I'm asking you to do:

Given that the Bloc and NDP will probably whip their respective caucuses to vote NO on C-484, we don't have to worry about them. Nope, the disquieting 'sect' is the Liberal caucus: Dion has not said that he will whip his group, so we have no assurances that those anti-choice or undeclared Liberals will vote against this Bill. So...we gotta get on his case. Birth Pangs has setup an Activist Page that allows you to send a quick email to the Loyal Leader of the Opposition. It's quick. It's easy. It's polite. If you are uncomfortable filling in web-forms, then you can contact Dion directly:

House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 996-5789
Fax: (613) 996-6562
EMail: DionS@parl.gc.ca
Web Site:* www.stephanedion.parl.gc.ca
Preferred Language: French

Constituency Offices

750 Marcel-Laurin Blvd, Suite 440
Saint-Laurent , Québec
H4M 2M4
Telephone: (514) 335-6655
Fax: (514) 335-2712

Tell him we'll be watching. Next, get your butt over here and add your name to this petition. 3175 signatures and counting, yo!

Still need more ammo info? Check out the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada's website, and help yourself to their tips & sample-letter. We've got work to do!