Creating the vision of a ‘people’s city’ — page 2 Pro-apartheid brochures in schools hit — page 3 ALD. JACK LAYTON June 4, 1990 508 Vol. 53, No. 20 Meech impasse deepens crisis in Mulroney govt Demonstrat Several women occupying the lobby of the building containing Justice Minister Kim Campbell’s Vancouver constituency office were ejected by city police May 25. But the fight against Bill C-43, the federal government’s new law criminalizing abor- tion, is just beginning, protesters vowed. “If they criminalize abortion in 1990, women are not in the same position of power as they were in 1969. The pro- choice movement is strong, it’s mobilized, it’s not going to take 20 years to defeat a new law,” said Joy Thompson of the B.C. Coalition for Abortion Clinics. The House of Commons passed the new law in a narrow vote — 140-131 — Tuesday after third reading. It goes on to the Senate, and pro-choice activists are urging the Liberal majority to stop the bill. Bill C-43 has been attacked by both sides in the abortion debate. But the bot- ors hit Bill C-43 outside Tory Justic s,) ® a tom line is that the bill removes a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate a pregnancy, less than two years after the original section of the Criminal Code pre- venting that choice was struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada as uncon- stitutional. “You have to be either crazy or sick in this country to get an abortion” under C-43, Thompson said in an interview almost drowned out by a boisterous dem- onstration of more than 200 outside Campbell’s office on West Broadway Street in Vancouver. e demonstration was called to add vocal support to the secretly planned occupation of the justice minister’s office. But when the occupiers arrived at 4 p.m., they found the office closed. Undeterred, they set up camp in the building’s main floor, vowing to stay until e Minister Kim Campbell's constituency office in Vancouver May 25. 10 the next morning, or until arrested. “If you’re going to arrest me, arrest me now when I’m not in a life crisis,” said coalition spokesperson Lori Roth during the occupation. Members of the occupation and dem- onstration sported toy handcuffs to sym- bolize arrests facing women and doctors under C-43, “but I don’t think (they'll remain symbolic) for very long,” Roth said. “It is a very black mark to the reputa- tion of Kim Campbell, that as a woman, and as the justice minister, she adamantly defends this law with an _ outright lie — that it will protect rights of women to choice,” the coalition said in a state- ment. The law prohibits abortion except on the grounds of danger to a woman’s men- Changes on agenda as YCL debates its future — page 6 — tal, physical or psychological health. ki provides penalties of up to two years in prison if contravened. The coalition, which sponsored the demonstration and occupation, stated it will “encourage defiance of this legisla- tion. We will continue the fight for real choice for all women, for universal access to abortion services, and for the provision of these services completely covered under all provincial medical plans.” “Bill C-43 has been torn to shreds by legal constitutional experts across this country,” the coalition stated. A legal chal- lenge to the legislation is anticipated. Many demonstrators remained outside the building until police arrived at about 10:30 p.m. Police evicted, but did not arrest, the occupiers, warning they may face trespassing charges later.