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Posted by bulshoy Promoted 102 days 10 hours ago 2995 views
editorial
Politics / Law - Justice
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77 comments
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Dr. Henry Morgentaler is up for an Order of Canada, and pro-lifers are pissed.
In the heady days of 1996, I was a student at a Catholic high school. One of the things that goes with Catholic high school is mandatory “religion” classes every year. By grade 11, they give up on the Christian brainwashing and move into more interesting territory. The course was called “Society – Challenge and Change.” There, among other things, we learned of a hero and a pioneer – Henry Morgentaler, abortionist.
Back in the day, abortion was a crime punishable by life in prison. As a result, many women who required an abortion (for whatever reason) had to seek out “back alley butchers,” the name given to shady dudes who would ream you out with a coat hanger (for a fee). This practice led to the horrific and agonizing deaths of many women. Back in the early ‘70s, a doctor from Montreal, one Henry Morgentaler, decided that enough women had died already. He decided to offer abortions within his own clean, sterile medical clinic. Naturally, he was arrested for providing illegal abortions.
After a long drawn out court battle, he was aquitted by a jury. This acquittal was later overturned by the Quebec Court of Appeal. Morgantaler ended up spending a little time in jail. When the ‘80s came around, he was arrested yet again. Luckily, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms had been passed, so he began another court battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. Not only was he aquitted (again), but the Court struck down all abortion laws as unconstitutional. This ended any and all restrictions on abortion in Canada, and that’s where we stand today.
I have glossed over much of Morgantaler’s struggle. Many Canadian women consider him to be a champion of women’s right to choose. He has received many awards and much recognition for his struggle, including honourary degrees and awards from women’s rights groups and humanitarian organizations. Now he has been nominated for an Order of Canada – our country’s highest civilian honour. It’s causing quite a ruckus, and it shouldn’t.
I’ll keep this short. The Order of Canada is to be bestowed upon people who have made a significant contribution to Canadian culture or society. Morgantaler has done exactly that. Whether or not you agree with abortion, you cannot deny what Morgantaler did. He has saved the lives of countless women. His actions resulted in the striking down of Canada’s abortion laws. He has significantly altered Canada’s socio-political landscape. If he doesn’t deserve an Order of Canada, who does?
The Order is not a popularity contest. It is not a democratic decision. An independent panel decides who the honour is bestowed upon, and the Governor-General makes (rubber-stamps) the final decisions. So Catholics, Christians, pro-lifers – shut the fuck up. You can piss and moan all you want, but recipients of the Order do not have to be approved by your separate groups. Morgantaler is being recognized for his HUGE contribution whether you agree with his cause or not. If you don’t like it, too fucking bad.
You can petition to have the laws changed if you like, but I wish you luck because you’re going to need it. Canada usually doesn’t take steps backward.
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