by Cecilia Forsyth.  February 8, 2013.

January 28, 2013 marked the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada Morgentaler decision that struck down Canada’s abortion law.  Contrary to media reports, the ruling did not give women a ‘right’ to abortion, it found the law unconstitutional for procedural reasons.  The Court left it to Parliament to determine social policy on abortion.  However, Canada remains the only democratic country in the world that has no abortion law.

In response to the 25th anniversary of the Morgentaler decision, Status of Women Minister Rona Ambrose declared her support for legal abortion.  She further stated: “This is an issue that women are not interested in debating.”

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson also insisted that the government has no desire to debate abortion in Parliament. “The Prime Minister has been very clear on this that the government will not reopen this issue,” said Nicholson.

A few days later, on January 31, 2013,  three Members of Parliament asked the RCMP to launch an investigation into the deaths of children who had already been BORN ALIVE and who are, therefore, recognized as “human beings” in Canadian law. This request is based on a  Statistics Canada report that 491 children died due to “termination of pregnancy” after being BORN ALIVE between 2000 and 2009.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper responded in the House of Commons, saying “abortion is legal in Canada.”  He continued, “All members of this House, whether they agree with it or not, understand that abortion is legal in Canada and this government, myself included, have made it very clear that the government does not intend to change the law in this regard”.

Please contact the following to politely but firmly state that you will continue to debate the killing of preborn children in Canada by abortion and that you will not be quiet on this issue.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper: pm@pm.gc.ca  Fax 613.941.6900
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson: rob.nicholson@parl.gc.ca  Fax 613.992.7910
Hon Rona Ambrose: rona.ambrose@parl.gc.ca  Fax 613.996.0785
Your MP: Contact information at www.parl.gc.ca

Please also contact Maurice Vellacott, MP, Leon Benoit, MP and Wladyslaw Lizon, MP to thank and express your support for their courageous move to protect babies who are born alive.

Maurice Vellacott (Saskatoon Wanuskewin):   maurice.vellacott@parl.gc.ca   Fax 613.992.3085
Leon Benoit (Vegreville-Wainwright):   leon.benoit@parl.gc.ca                            Fax 613.996.9011
Wladyslaw Lizon (Mississauga East-Coooksville):  Wladyslaw.Lizon@parl.gc.ca  Fax 613.996.0279

Please send a brief note to the above politicians and ask three other people to do the same.  If we do not speak out for life, who will?

Cecilia Forsyth
National President
REAL Women of Canada