RE: Ontario's Tories say they won't reopen abortion debate, despite sponsoring news conference
To the editor of the National Post
Laurel Broten, the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues in Ontario, made three assertions in this story, all of which leave someone with even a rudimentary understanding of law and public opinion reeling.
She stated that there is a right to abortion. There is no such right. In R. v. Morgentaler, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously said that Parliament has the jurisdiction to pass abortion legislation. Ms. Broten also stated that Catholic schools would be bullies if they taught their position on abortion — that life is worthy of dignity through all its stages. This discriminatory statement belittles the faith of numerous Ontario voters, disregards constitutional provisions for religious freedom and trivializes the bullying that children face.
Finally, the Minister’s statements indicate that she believes that Canadians are fine with our country’s abortion status quo. Wrong. A 2012 Ipsos Reid poll found that 60% of Canadians support the introduction of legislation that would limit abortion access. Most of us believe that abortion shouldn’t be available throughout all nine months of pregnancy for any and every reason. It would serve the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues well to familiarize herself with women’s issues.
Faye Sonier, Legal Counsel with The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Ottawa.