An expert committee of lawyers, chaired by Maitre Jean-Pierre Ménard, was set up by the Quebec government to advise it how to implement Quebec Legislative Assembly committee report on “Dying with Dignity” (QLAC report), which advocates legalizing euthanasia. Read more…
A recent editorial, “The abortion debate is over, so shut up” in the Vancouver newspaper, The Province, very bluntly expresses pro-choice wishful thinking on their part. This debate is not going away. It’s gaining strength.
The editorial does, however, accurately reflect a belief of many Canadians that there seems to be no way for us to reach any consensus on the law that should govern abortion, as recent votes in Parliament have consistently demonstrated. I don’t agree, but note I’ve qualified the word consensus with the adjective “any”.
I believe a majority of Canadians can find some “common ground” regarding legal regulation of abortion, but this must be distinguished from finding unanimous agreement – that’s impossible.
For many of us, whether we are pro-choice or pro-life, this common ground will not be a “perfect” stance. That’s unavoidable because we live in a pluralistic society where people have vastly divergent worldviews; we don’t all share the same convictions about the intrinsic dignity and value of all human beings, from their conception to their natural death; and we disagree whether the value of respect for life or that of individual autonomy should take priority when they conflict.
The present legal situation, in Canada, defended to the death by some pro-choice advocates, is that there are and should be no legal restrictions on abortion. In stark contrast, some pro-life advocates believe that any law short of the total prohibition of abortion is unacceptable, because, agreeing to a law which still allows some abortions would constitute complicity in the evil of abortion.
Many pro-life advocates now recognize, however, that a total prohibition is not achievable, that the virtue of prudence requires them to implement the protection that is presently feasible, and protecting some unborn children is better than protecting none. Consequently, they would welcome some legal restrictions on abortion short of a complete prohibition. They rightly argue that government has an essential role to play in restricting certain activities, whereby unborn children’s human rights are violated.
It is hard to drink Champagne in handcuffs. However, this week at least two Canadians are going to try. Linda Gibbons and Mary Wagner recently received Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medals. Each member of Parliament has the opportunity to nominate 30 people and Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott nominated these two, among others. Read more…
Francophone Canada has always been, let’s say, a little “different” compared with the anglo majority, but, as someone of French extraction living in Montreal, I strive for a balanced view of the nation. My morning routine includes an attentive perusal of four newspapers: the National Post, the Globe, and the Quebec papers La Presse and Le Devoir. It is always interesting – and sometimes fascinating – to witness the differing perspectives. Read more…
The latest parliamentary effort to address Canada’s total lack of restrictions of abortion came to an end last week when a motion which proposed setting up an all-party Parliamentary committee to discuss when an unborn child becomes a human being was voted down, 203 votes against, 91 for. Read more…
“‘Curiouser and curiouser!’ cried Alice (she was so much surprised that, for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).”
Two current abortion-in-the-public-square situations in Canada show abortion is much more than a pro-life versus pro-choice conflict, it’s a pro-democracy versus anti-democracy one. Read more…
There are some problems for which politics is a blunt and unwieldy instrument. Bullying may be such an issue. No one knows whether tackling the community level problem of bullying through rigid government legislation will be effective, but that hasn’t stopped the Canadian province of Ontario from trying. Read more…
Marriage and family advocacy groups have greeted with enthusiasm a Canadian court decision upholding the country’s ban on polygamy, published yesterday.
British Columbia Supreme Court Chief Justice, Robert Bauman, has ruled that the government of Canada may continue to prohibit polygamy because, although the law does impinge on the right to freedom of religion, that harm is outweighed by the harms that polygamy inflicts on women and children, and to the institution of monogamous marriage. “There is no such thing as so-called ‘good polygamy’,” said Bauman. Read more…
by Barbara Kay
An anti-euthanasia protest in France in January. Photo: REUTERS/Jacky Naegele Read more…
A couple of related pieces today that both underline a theme that has been commonplace at Demography is Destiny over the past few months. If you have to ask what that theme is then you obviously have not been reading with the necessary assiduity and I am not going to help you. Read more…
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