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OTTAWA — A Conservative MP’s pro-life bid to have Parliament study the definition of a human being has gone down to defeat in the House of Commons.

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Stephen Woodworth’s motion was voted down 203-91.

Eight cabinet ministers voted in favour of the motion, including Status of Women Minister Rona Ambrose, government House leader Peter Van Loan, Trade Minister Ed Fast and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper had allowed his caucus to vote freely on the issue, but did not vote for it out of concern it would re-open the debate on abortion.

Four Liberals also voted in favour of Woodworth’s motion, while the NDP caucus opposed it.

The motion would have instructed a Commons committee to study a section of the Criminal Code that declares a child a human being when it emerges alive from the mother’s womb.

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