But he still plans to continue raising the issue in public speaking engagements.
In a brief news conference April 17, Warawa said he would not pursue an appeal to the House of Commons after his motion asking the House to condemn the sex-selective abortion of girls was deemed non-votable by both the private member’s business subcommittee and the procedure and House affairs committee.
The controversy over Motion-408, as well as the quashing of Warawa’s opportunity to speak to the House on the matter in the time allotted to MPs’ statements before Question Period, have raised questions about the freedom backbench MPs have to represent their constituents. Several MPs have come forward to support Warawa and the democratic rights of MPs.
Warawa told journalists the point of order will go ahead on MPs’ statements, but he has decided to replace Motion-408 with the Safe At Home bill to be tabled April 18, that would prevent convicted sexual offenders from serving home arrest terms near the homes of their victims.
The Langley B.C. MP had until April 19 to decide whether to appeal the matter to the House of Commons for a secret vote on whether it should be votable. But after considering his options, Warawa said he did not think an appeal “would be successful.”
Motion-408 was meant to raise awareness that sex-selective abortion is happening in Canada, he said, noting the motion had support from an “overwhelming number” of Canadians.
“I’ve decided to continue working on the sex-selection, gendercide issue by speaking at university campuses, giving lectures and engaging in debates. Within Parliament, I will continue to work on this important issue with my colleagues across all party lines.
Campaign Life Coalition expressed disappointment the “political pressure exerted” on Warawa “was so great that he felt that there was no option but to stop pressing forward on M-408, a common-sense motion that would have condemned the practice of sex-selective abortion.”
"It is a shame that this motion was killed," said Campaign Life national organizer Mary Ellen Douglas.
“Gendercide remains a reality in Canada and Campaign Life Coalition remains committed to the eradication of sex-selective abortion as it is to abolish all abortion for any reasons.”
The National March for Life in Ottawa May 9 will keep the issue of sex-selective abortion in the public eye. Its theme is: “End Female Gendercide: ‘It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence."
Warawa’s Safe at Home bill responds to the case of a sex offender who was sentenced to house arrest right next door to where his young victim lived. In another similar instance, the offender served house arrest across the street from his victim.
“In both cases, the young victims lived in fear and were re-victimized every time they saw their attacker,” he said. “One mom asked me, ‘Why should we have to move from our home when we are the victims?’ ”