By Canadian Press

voted down

Conscience rights bill squashed at committee level

Nov 22, 2019 | 11:29 AM

EDMONTON – A private member’s bill that would have given further protection to Alberta health workers who invoked their conscience rights has been rejected at the committee level.

The standing committee on private members’ bills heard from four doctors, the Trans Equality Society of Alberta and Dying with Dignity Canada before voting against the proposal.

The bill was brought forward by United Conservative government backbencher Dan William.

It would have meant that health-care providers could not be sued or sanctioned for refusing to provide services such as abortion, assisted dying or contraception that went against their moral beliefs.

Currently, Alberta doctors who don’t want to perform those services must refer patients to someone who will.

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Concerns had been raised by the Opposition NDP that the bill could have created a back-door way to restrict access to abortion and contraception, particularly in rural areas where access to physicians and services can be limited.

(CTV Edmonton, The Canadian Press)