Calgary

Justin Trudeau targeted in anti-abortion group's flyer campaign

A Calgary Liberal candidate running in the upcoming federal election says she's disappointed by a leaflet campaign suggesting that a vote for Justin Trudeau is a vote for abortion.

Liberal leader says his MPs will be expected to vote against putting limits on abortion

Pictured above is a portion of the graphic pamphlet that was distributed recently in Calgary. (CBC)

A Calgary Liberal candidate running in the upcoming federal election says she's disappointed by a leaflet campaign suggesting that a vote for Justin Trudeau is a vote for abortion.

The postcards, which show graphic images of an aborted fetus, start hitting the doorsteps of homes in northwest Calgary this week.

The Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reforms plans to distribute about a million of the postcards across the country by the end of the month. (CBC)

Nirmala Naidoo, the federal Liberal Candidate for Calgary-Rocky Ridge, says she supports free speech but the messaging shouldn't be offensive.

"What does bother me as a mother more than anything is that I don't like the fact that graphic pamphlets are being handed out to households that have children in them," she said.

Naidoo says her party's position is that woman should have the right to choose, as they do under Canadian law.

Conservative Party not involved, says MP

Tracy Titherington was shocked to see a postcard with an aborted fetus on her doorstep, especially with her two- and six-year-old boys by her side.

"Yeah, it fell at our feet and I recognized the image and quickly threw my bag over it and hustled the boys out the door so they wouldn't see it," she said.

She says she wondered if there was a federal Conservative Party connection.

Staff for local Tory MP Diane Ablonczy says neither she nor her party are involved.

Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reforms flyer

The Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reforms — the group behind the flyer campaign — is non-partisan, according to spokesman Jonathon Van Maren.

"So we respond to politicians and federal leaders who refuse to stand up for the human rights of the pre-born and we'll do that essentially no matter what party you belong to," he said.

Van Maren says his group plans to distribute about a million of the postcards across the country by the end of the month.

Elections Canada says the act governing this kind of flyer campaign do not apply until the writ is dropped.