Bill C-452
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1st Session, 37th Parliament, 49-50-51 Elizabeth II, 2001-2002
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House of Commons of Canada
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BILL C-452 |
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An Act to provide for a referendum to
determine whether Canadians wish
medically unnecessary abortions to be
insured services under the Canada Health
Act and to amend the Referendum Act
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| Preamble
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Whereas Parliament has not determined
the wishes of Canadians as to whether
medically unnecessary abortions should be
paid for with federal funds;
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Whereas it remains a matter of national
debate as to whether such funding should be
made available; and
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Whereas it is in the public interest to
determine by referendum whether the Canada
Health Act should be amended to provide that
fiscal transfers to provinces that allow funding
for such abortions will be reduced;
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Now, Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate and House of
Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
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| Short title
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1. This Act may be cited as the Medically
Unnecessary Abortion Referendum Act.
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| Referendum
in public
interest
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2. It is hereby declared to be in the public
interest to obtain by means of a referendum,
the opinion of the electors as to whether the
Canada Health Act should be amended to
provide that a medically unnecessary abortion
is not an insured health service under that Act.
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| Referendum
at next
election
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3. At the general election under the Canada
Elections Act that next follows the coming
into force of this Act, the following question
shall be put to the electors in a referendum
pursuant to subsection 4(1.1) of the
Referendum Act:
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YES or NO
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CANADA HEALTH ACT |
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4. (1) Section 13 of the Canada Health Act
is amended by deleting the word ``and'' at
the end of paragraph (a), adding the word
``and'' at the end of paragraph (b) and
adding the following after paragraph (b):
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| Coming into
force
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(2) Subsection (1) comes into force on the
April 1 next following the day thirty days
after the referendum provided for by the
Medically Unnecessary Abortion
Referendum Act is approved by a majority
of the electors voting on it.
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REFERENDUM ACT |
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5. The Referendum Act is amended by
adding the following after section 4:
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| Referendum
directed by
Parliament
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4.1 (1) Where an Act of Parliament declares
that it is in the public interest to obtain by
means of a referendum, the opinion of the
electors on any question relating to the laws of
Canada, the Governor in Council shall direct
that the opinion of the electors be obtained by
a referendum held pursuant to this Act.
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| Referendum
notwithstand- ing election
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(2) Subsection 6(6) does not apply to a
referendum held under subsection (1).
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