As the heated debate over abortion rumbles on in Ottawa, Richmonds own MP, Alice Wong, has sidestepped questions on the issue.
Wong was one of 13 B.C. Tories who sup-ported Ontario MP Stephen Woodworth's motion on Wednesday to establish a committee to study when whether a fetus is a human being before the moment of birth.
By a vote of 203 to 91, MPs, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, defeated the motion. But in a surprise development, the vote revealed a deep split among Tory MPs over the issue. Eighty-seven of the 163 Tory MPs, including Wong, supported the motion.
Asked by the News to comment on her reasons for voting to open up the debate, Wongs office in Ottawa sent an email on behalf of the MP, stating:
It was a Private Members Bill that was brought to a free vote for caucus, and it has been voted on. It is time to move on.
Jobs, growth and long term prosperity remain the priority of the government moving forward, and I remain focused upon the issues that affect Canadas seniors.
However, its not the way Wong voted thats angered some in her constituency; its the U-turn shes apparently made since her last re-lection campaign.
Gary Cross, a former Conservative federal riding president for Richmond who says hes helped run Wongs election campaigns in the past, clearly recalls what the MP said at a chamber of commerce pre-election all-candidates meeting when asked about the abortion laws.
She said back then the anti-abortion debate shouldnt be opened up, but then she votes the opposite (in the House of Commons)? said Cross.
Im disgusted that, after giving an answer that stuck with the party line, she would betray the trust of voters. I havent heard her say anything else on the debate since that night.
Its not whether or not you agree with Wongs view or not, added Cross, its more saying one thing and doing the opposite.
We all have our personal views and I dont have a problem with that. But (Wong) has not been forthright in what she said.
Harper was in the Commons on Wednesday evening and voted against the contentious motion.
It came amid a political uproar over whether the motion by Woodworth was part of a plan Harper's government to reopen a national debate on abortion.
The government denied that charge and said that MPs were merely being given their right to put forward their own motions and to vote on them.
A clear majority of B.C. Conservative MPs voted in favour of the motion.
All nine B.C. New Democrats voted against the motion, as did Liberals Hedy Fry and Joyce Murray.
Meanwhile, Wong responded to News requests to talk about whether or not she supported her governments controversial move to close the Kitsilano Coast Guard station. The area it covered will now be monitored, in part, by the Richmond station.
Fears have been expressed for the safety of people using the water in the Vancouver and Richmond areas due to the closure.
"The first priority of the Canadian Coast Guard is, and always will be the safety of mariners, Wong wrote in an email.
We will establish a new Inshore Rescue Boat Station for the summer season in the Vancouver port and strengthen partnerships with other on-water search and rescue partners.
In addition to the fast rescue craft stationed at Sea Island station, there are two hovercraft, one will be replaced with a new hovercraft next year.
Search and rescue experts within the Coast Guard remain confident that we will be able to respond quickly and effectively to distress incidents on the water.
To ensure a smooth transition and a clear understanding of roles, the Coast Guard has held a series of working group meetings with search and rescue partners including the Department of National Defence and Vancouver's fire and police departments."
