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Ottawa

How many MPs will support Motion #312?

By Aaron Wherry

Members of the Canadian Medical Association voted in favour last week of maintaining Section 223(1) of the Criminal Code, the section that Stephen Woodworth seeks to have studied with his motion. Mr. Woodworth is unimpressed.

Meanwhile, Mark Warawa has posted a video to explain that he supports Mr. Woodworth’s motion.

It was reported in June that Conservative MPs were being pressured to vote against Mr. Woodworth’s motion. Mr. Warawa is, by my count, the third Conservative backbencher to public state support for Motion #312, following Stella Ambler and Jeff Watson.

Government whip Gordon O’Connor spoke against the motion when it was debated in April. It is expected to be receive its second hour of debate this fall.

I asked Mr. Woodworth via email this afternoon if he had any sense of how many MPs will be voting in favour of his motion and he responded as follows.

I really can’t say for sure, but I am not optimistic that it will even approach 50% unless there is a sudden resurgence among Members of Parliament of a commitment to the ideal of universal human rights.