Canada Government Refuses Liberal Leader’s Demand to Promote Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 18, 2010
Ottawa, Canada (LifeNews.com) — The Canadian government will not add the promotion of abortion to the list of initiatives designed to promote women and children’s health. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper to include abortion promotion as part of an initiative with G8 countries.
International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda told CP today that the Harper government has no plans to change the policies it plans to advocate.
"Canada is not currently going to be changing its approach to improving maternal and infant health," Oda said about the upcoming April meeting. "The prime minister has been clear since we became government that there’s no intention on regenerating any debate on abortion."
Earlier this month, Ignatieff, the leader of the Liberal Party in Canada, called on Harper to promote abortion, saying, women "are entitled to the full gamut of reproductive health services and that includes termination of pregnancy."
Abortion advocates are also concerned that the Harper government will not include pro-abortion groups in his funding plan for groups providing for women’s maternal health.
CP indicates that a spokesman in Oda’s office said Harper never intended to provide the pro-abortion groups with family planning funds and that his proposals are focused on legitimate women’s health concerns like immunization, access to clean water, better nutrition and training health care workers.
Jim Hughes, the president of Campaign Life Coalition, responded to Ignatieff after his call for promoting abortion.
"Michael Ignatieff once again shows his extreme pro-abortion position in order to garner what he assumes will translate into pro-abortion votes for his leaderless Liberal Party," he said.
"We understand that Ignatieff is not speaking on behalf of his entire caucus but the Women’s Caucus of the Liberal Party," he continued. "IPPF is the leading promoter of abortion in developing countries."
The pro-life group congratulated Harper for focusing only on legitimate health concerns.
"This care will include safe water and good pregnancy treatment and care before and after the child is born," said Hughes. "This care is provided by positive organizations such as MaterCare International."
Hughes also commented on Ignatieff’s statement that "the right to abortion is too sacred to become a political football" and "women are entitled to the full gamet of reproductive health services and that includes termination of pregnancy (abortion) and contraception."
He said it shows clearly to all Canadians who has a hidden, and now exposed, political agenda.
"Ignatieff has become a mouthpiece for the pro-abortion activists within his party," he explained.
Related web sites:
Campaign Life Coalition – https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com
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