Canadians want legal protection before birth
72% of Canadians surveyed in the September National Omnibus poll supported legal protection for unborn babies at some point before birth. 62% said they want protection either from conception or 2-3 months gestation and on. Another 10% want protection from 6 months on.
Participants were told that the fetal heart begins beating about three weeks after conception, brain waves can be detected within two months of conception and all organs are in place by two months.
However, there are currently no legal restrictions on abortion in Canada. In the absence of a law, abortion is allowed at any stage of pregnancy and for any reason. Only 20% of people supported the current policy in Canada of no protection for human life until birth, while a total of 74% of women and 67% of men supported protection before birth.
Taxpayers currently pay for almost all of the 100,000 abortions which take place every year, but only 30% polled support paying for all abortions. 54% said abortions should only be tax-funded in emergency situations when the mother’s life was threatened or in cases of rape or incest.
The poll was conducted by Environics Research for Life Canada.
