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Abortion
rights at risk: Morgentaler, Callwood and Egan
Warn Against the Stephen Harper Conservatives
June 18, 2004
TORONTO, June
18 - CNW: Today, leading pro-choice activists entered the political
fray and encouraged Canadians to cast their ballot against Stephen
Harper and the Conservative Party.
Dr. Henry Morgentaler,
Canada's abortion rights champion teamed up with social activists
June Callwood and Carolyn Egan, as well as Jessica Forbes, university
student, to encourage women and men of all ages to get political and
vote to protect a women's right to choose.
"In many ways Stephen Harper is even scarier than Stockwell Day,"
said Dr. Henry Morgentaler. "He appears moderate on the outside,
but the underlying message is the same. Mr. Harper will systematically
initiate a quiet, stealth-like plan to erode a women's right to abortion."
Dr. Morgentaler reminded us that Harper made concerted - and well-documented
- efforts to recruit fundamentalist groups to win the Conservative
leadership. "Stephen Harper will have to answer to the religious
right, those that got him elected as party leader."
Abortion in Canada
was decriminalized on January 28, 1988, when the Supreme Court of
Canada declared the old abortion section of the Criminal Code unconstitutional
in the Morgentaler case. Today, there is no federal abortion law.
Harper has repeatedly said during the campaign that he would not table
a Bill to re-open the abortion issue, at least during his first mandate.
He stated that the issue should be resolved through a free vote in
Parliament. However, he has refused to answer how he would personally
vote on the issue.
Carolyn Egan,
spokesperson for the Ontario Coalition of Abortion Clinics reminds
us that, "Steven Harper actively courted the religious right
and ultra-conservative votes and garnered support from the former
Alliance and Reform party members, sooner or later they will come
to collect for those votes and that support. Steven Harper is a wolf
in sheep's clothing."
"The prospect
of a free vote under a Conservative government should give Canadians
reason to pause before casting their ballot," added Dr. Morgentaler.
Well-known Conservative MPs like Stockwell Day, Jason Kenney, and
Cheryl Gallant are on record opposing women's right to choose and
would likely become Cabinet ministers in a Harper government. Cheryl
Gallant has gone as far to say that she would definitely push a private
members bill on abortion.
Just last year,
on October 1, Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton-Melville, former Canadian
Alliance) introduced a private members' motion that said:
"the
Standing Committee on Health fully examine, study and report
to Parliament on: (a) whether or not abortions are medically
necessary for the purpose of maintaining health, preventing
disease or diagnosing or treating an injury, illness or disability;
and (b) the health risks for women undergoing abortions compared
to women carrying their babies to full term." 46 members
of the former Canadian Alliance (only two opposed it) supported
this motion and almost all of these politicians are now Conservative
Party candidates.
"As a first
time voter in a Federal Election, I and many of my friends are following
this issue very closely," said Jessica Forbes a twenty year old
university student. "Although we may not always be that vocal,
abortion rights is a vote determining issue. I don't trust Stephen
Harper and believe he will find some way to enforce his personal anti-choice
views."
"It is encouraging
to see a young woman coming forward on this important issue,"
said June Callwood. "I remember the days - and it was not that
long ago - when women were dying from unsafe, back-alley abortions.
Stephen Harper is hoping we will let our guard down, but we must be
vigilant and vote to
protect the reproductive rights we have fought so hard for."
For further information:
Shayna Hodgson, Phone: (416) 932-0446 X234
Source: CNW
Telbec
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