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Trudeau revealed the party’s new hard line on abortion one day before the annual “March for Life,” in which thousands of abortion opponents are expected to descend on Parliament Hill.

In the past, Liberal MPs have been among those who’ve addressed the March for Life crowds. Opponents of abortion have traditionally formed a strong, vocal minority in the Liberal caucus, although their ranks have thinned considerably over the last two elections as the caucus shrank overall.

Until two years ago, Liberals did not have a party position on abortion, considering it a matter of conscience that should be left to each individual.

[np_storybar title=”Read a transcript of Justin Trudeau’s scrum with reporters” link=””]

Q: If there’s a vote on abortion … would it be a free vote for your caucus or a whipped vote?

A: That is an issue that – I’ve committed in my – well, it’s a tough one, because one of the things that’s a strength of the Liberal Party is that we draw in voices from right across the country and on a range of perspectives. You know, we have Liberals who are economically very far to the right, we have others who are economically more to the left. We have people who have a whole gamut of positions and that’s been one of the strengths of the Liberal Party, that we have strong voices for all sorts of different communities. But as a party, we’re steadfast in our belief and our position, and certainly our positions as government, is that it’s not for any government to legislate what happens – what a woman chooses to do with her body, and that is the bottom line. I have made it clear that future candidates need to be completely understanding that they will be expected to vote pro-choice on any bills. The existing MPs who have been grandfathered in to a certain extent will be respected to a certain extent in their – in their choices, but our position as a party is we do not reopen that debate.