A Radio-Canada reporter asked Erin O'Toole this morning how he reconciles being pro-choice with voting to protect unborn victims of crime in 2016. The reporter pressed to say that this is the type of bill that aims to "open up cracks" to reopen the abortion debate.

O'Toole stood by his vote, but downplayed its importance. He said he simply voted to advance it to committee. He later characterized it as merely a "criminal sentencing bill." While it certainly affected sentencing, its purpose was very clear.

I point this all out for a reason: Erin O'Toole is unabashedly and unequivocally pro-choice. He said this during the campaign and he said this at his press conference today. Yet even so, four questions this morning touched on abortion.

When people talk about the Conservatives' "obsession" with social issues, it's clearly a media obsession. And even though O'Toole is pro-choice, the media pounces on him for voting... to stand-up for pregnant women and their wanted children. Seriously?

If you so much as stopped to tie your shoe in front of a Catholic church in the last 30 years the media will accuse you of being too cozy with social conservatives, so there's no 'right answer' to these questions but whatever is most authentic.

This isn't directed at O'Toole, but rather a general point. That said, I wish O'Toole had stood by @CathayW's bill a bit more forcefully as these protections for the unborn should not be controversial and are only treated as such by activists out of whack with ordinary Canadians.