by R.A. Scott

Created on: July 15, 2008   Last Updated: April 12, 2009

"With humans it's abortion, but with chickens it's an omelet." -George Carlin.

In Canada we haven't had an abortion law for about 20 years. No law of any kind exists on abortion. If you can find the doctor you can abort when you want and how often you want regardless of the circumstances. I'm sure, but have never asked, that doctors have their own morals when it comes to abortion and who and when to abort.

This happened because of one Dr. Henry Morgentaler. He fought for ages for a woman's right to abortion, eventually his case ended up in the Canadian Supreme Court and they struck down the old law which outlawed abortion. The Government of the day and successive governments have not bothered to review the situation and bring in any law whatsoever. All the governments have been afraid to even look at the issue.

A little while ago, Dr. Morgentaler received the Order of Canada. This is the highest civilian award the government offers. It's for, "recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation."

I think it is interesting to note that Dr. Morgentaler is a survivor of Auschwitz. He was born in 1923 in Poland. His father was murdered by the Nazis' and he was sent to the camp. He weighed 70 lbs upon his release.

In 1969 Morgentaler opened his first clinic to provide safe abortions on demand. At the time abortions were completely illegal and a conviction could land a doctor in jail for life and a woman could get 2 years. Morgentaler convinced Canadian legislators to change the law and in 1969 the law was changed. A hospital committee must now decide if a womans' life or health is in danger, so she could have an abortion if she could find a doctor willing to do it.

Twenty years later the law was again changed after Morgentaler went to jail a number of times for keeping his clinic open. He suffered death threats and fire bombings to his clinics. Finally, the Supreme Court of Canada decided the law against abortion was unconstitutional and stuck it down.

The Order of Canada award has annoyed some Catholics and others who don't like abortion. Some of these people have even returned their own Order of Canada medals. Strong stuff but do they have a point? I think not.

More countries need to abolish abortion laws. No one has the right to tell a woman what she can and can not with her body. Besides, legal abortions prevent back alley abortions where women can lose their lives. Infections and blood loss are grave concerns in these situations.

Ultimately, I think that in a perfect world people on both sides of the issue would like to see fewer abortions. However, we don't live in a perfect world, do we?

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