harpers views on abortion

'My views on abortion are complex'
January 19, 2006
canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=c1bb1603-a437-48cc-a733-277b9108da61

Excerpts of Kevin Newman's interview with Stephen Harper outside the Conservative leader's boyhood home in Toronto, on Global National last night.

Newman: Pierre Trudeau was asked once ... when you dream do you dream in English or do you dream in French, and it was a question that got to the soul of his image. When you think of yourself, do you mostly belong here or in Alberta?

Harper: It's a combination, often when I dream, the dreams are actually set on this street. Those are the most powerful memories. I can tell you -- you know how it is when you are a boy -- I can tell you which pavement ... you know every crack.... You know your world is small, but you know it in detail when you are a kid.

Newman: But as a man are you mostly a Calgarian or mostly a Torontonian.

Harper: I've been out in Alberta for a while, I married an Alberta girl, my kids are born in Alberta, but obviously running to be prime minister, spending so much time running around the country, you start to think of yourself as representing the country as a whole. I love Alberta, I've never made any secret of it. I had a great childhood growing up in Toronto but I, ah, I do love Alberta.

Newman: You say you are who you are but some people say you're kind of different this campaign, you're a little more approachable, more relaxed. Are you for real this time?

Harper: I think there's some urban legends. There was sort of a myth that I never shook hands, but I've run four national campaigns in the last four years and generally done well in most of them and you don't do well unless you are a good campaigner.

Newman: What about the issue of same-sex [marriage], I think people are wondering about. You promised to take that to a vote to Parliament. If someone is born gay in Canada, why should they expect to have less access to the institutions of the country and sanctions?

Harper: This is an emotional subject. Some people see it as a rights issue; I see it as an issue of marriage, as an issue of preserving an important traditional institution and I don't think that has to inhibit anyone's choices or their benefits or rights and I don't see it as a rights issue and I guess that's the big divide. And I think we've got to preserve our traditional institutions.

Newman: On the issue of abortion, will you pledge that there will be no legislation on abortion, there will never be a free vote in Parliament on that issue?

Harper: Never is a long time. What I'm saying is I have no desire to see that issue debated in the near future. We're saying very clear in our platform we're not going to support or initiate abortion legislation and frankly I don't want this Parliament to have an abortion debate.

Newman: So to be clear, you support a woman's right to choose?

Harper: I've always said my views on the abortion issue are complex, I don't fall into any of the neat polar extremes on this issue.

Newman: Explain them then if they are complex.

Harper: No, I don't need to because I'm not proceeding with an abortion agenda.