Ex-Conservative MP claims anti-abortion movement has influence inside the party

A former Conservative MP who says he left the party because of his "convictions" claims that the number of anti-abortion Conservative members of Parliament is growing, and that anti-abortion activists have influence within the party apparatus.

Richmond-Arthabaska MP Alain Rayes made the comments in a new documentary, "La peur au ventre," directed by Quebec filmmaker Léa Clermont-Dion, which explores the anti-abortion movement in Canada following the reversal of Roe v. Wade in the United States.

"I left the Conservative Party for reasons of values and convictions," he said in French. "What I noticed was an increase in the number of pro-life MPs inside the organization."

Rayes sits as an Independent. He left the Conservative caucus shortly after Pierre Poilievre was elected party leader.

In the party's 2022 leadership race, he campaigned against Poilievre and backed his rival, former Liberal premier Jean Charest.

Poilievre has said that if he's elected prime minister, his government will not support any legislation to regulate abortion.

"As the Party's policy book, adopted by Party members, has said for years, 'a Conservative Government will not support any legislation to regulate abortion,'" said Poilievre's spokesperson, Sebastian Skamski, in a media statement.

"When Canadians elect Pierre Poilievre as Prime Minister, no laws or rules will be passed that restrict women's reproductive choices. Period."

Rayes told Clermont-Dion the party's position on abortion "is sort of curious."

"If you ask the leader, they'll tell you they're pro-choice," said Rayes. "They'll affirm it, in an attempt to placate people who feel strongly, people trying to attack the Conservative Party.

"But that's not where the problem is. The problem is that you have, inside the organization, extremely powerful groups, members who are at the conventions and who influence the policies."

He said those members put the party in a position where it has to publicly reject calls to legislate abortion while making room for people within the party who are working hard to restrict it.

He said that even if party leaders don't attend anti-abortion rallies on Parliament Hill, Conservative MPs often do.

Rayes, who is not seeking re-election, didn't respond to a request for comment from CBC News or clarify what he meant when he said the number of anti-abortion Conservative MPs is growing.

Poilievre was faced with questions about his party's position on abortion in June, when Conservative MP Arnold Viersen said on a podcast that he wants protections for what he calls the "pre-born."

Despite Poilievre's vow to leave Canada's abortion policies as they are, the Liberals and NDP have long tried to use reproductive rights as a wedge issue.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced on Thursday that he will use his next opposition day to debate and vote on a motion calling for action to improve abortion access and "push back the creep of anti-choice bills, petitions and threats in Canada."

This is expected to be the NDP's only opposition day in this sitting of the House of Commons. 

Speaking in Montreal, Singh said he met with Clermont-Dion to discuss her documentary and noted the comments made by Rayes.

"In the Conservative Party, the anti-choice crowd is often calling the shots. They have a massive say in the party," he said. "There is a real threat from the Conservatives."

The NDP cited a recent petition sponsored by Viersen (which carries no legislative weight) that called for restrictions on abortion access.

The party also pointed to a 2023 private member's bill that, while it doesn't directly mention abortion, called for judges to consider physical or emotional harm to a pregnant victim as an aggravating factor during sentencing. That bill was defeated.