D8

W.E. (Bill) Belliveau
IN DEPTH

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Statistics Canada reports that in 2005, there were 96,815 reported abortions in Canada. Except for a few places in North America (and indeed the Western world), safe, legal and accessible abortion has become the norm.

This week, the Advisory Committee on Order of Canada Appointments, headed by Canada's Chief (Supreme Court) Justice, Beverly McLauchlin nominated Dr. Henry Morgentaler to the "Order of Canada". The nominating process called for a recorded vote (as far as I know, it was the first in the history of Order of Canada nominations). The Order of Canada recognizes a lifetime of achievement, dedication to community and service to the country (Canada). Dr. Morgentaler's achievement was to make abortion a woman's private choice, subject to no one's choice but her own.

There are two issues here: one, should Canada's top legal officer be taking what appears to be an interventionist position on a matter of public policy, and secondly, is a declared abortionist someone we want to honour for a lifetime of achievement and service to the country? If you are pro-choice, the answer is clearly yes. If you are pro-life, the answer would likely be no.

In respect to the first issue, it is my opinion that our Chief Justice has no place in the country's policy development (other than in legal interpretation) or promotion of a particular policy as might be influenced by the judge's pursuit of an Order in Canada appointment that honours one who clearly represents one of a number of points of view in Canadian society -- free choice (abortion). A judge is supposed to be a person of impartiality, not advocacy.

On the question of honouring an abortion advocate, the issues are more complex. Most Canadians likely support restricted abortion rights for women in their early months of pregnancy. I suspect that most would also disapprove of late-term abortions, except in cases of serious, late-term maternal risk. Some people are opposed to abortion on religious grounds.

That said, abortion is legal in Canada and practiced by physicians under good practitioner circumstances.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked that the appointment of Morgentaler be reconsidered (not rescinded). They suggest that Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada creates controversy and division in the country. They suggest that Dr. Morgentaler has been purveyor of a "culture of death." Prime Minister Stephen Harper has distanced himself from the decision to appoint Morgentaler to the Order of Canada, pointing out that appointments are recommended by an "independent advisory committee" and decreed by the Governor General.

For some people, Dr. Morgentaler's selection has cast a shadow over the appointment of a number of other Order of Canada designates including: former Prime Minister Kim Campbell; former Premier of New Brunswick and Canadian Ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna; Wallace McCain (Maple Leaf Foods and McCain Foods), former Cabinet Minister and Secretary General of the OECD Donald Johnson and members of the arts world including short-story writer Audrey Thompson and Nova Scotia poet George Elliott Clarke.

The award of Canada's highest civilian honour to one whose professional life has been a crusade to make abortion available to the widest cross-section of Canadian women is clearly controversial. Is it right? Does it reflect the values of Canadians?

There is no question that Morgentaler has delivered a lifetime of achievement and service to those in the country who advocate abortion as a woman's private choice. The flip side of that acknowledgement is that Henry Morgentaler has delivered a lifetime of achievement in opposition to life, albeit a controversial definition of life.

Traditionally, abortions were obtained by desperate women who were singled out by circumstance or economics to seek the life-ending procedure. I am conflicted in this discussion by the fact that I have two daughters, who collectively have four children. Would I wish that one or more of those children not be here because of an abortion? No way! Would I support the notion of abortion if one of my daughters had faced a life-threatening pregnancy? Absolutely!

I was raised as a Catholic. Clearly, the Catholic clergy opposes abortion on the grounds that it is life-ending. In principle, I agree with them. In reality, I know that circumstance dictates real-life decision and real-life support for a particular position.

At the end of the day, I have to come out in opposition to Henry Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada because, in my view, he has not contributed to the advancement of life in Canada. Clearly, he has contributed to the advancement of life circumstance for many women in this country. That should be acknowledged but it need not be glamorized by appointment to the Order of Canada.

n W.E. (Bill) Belliveau is a Shediac resident and Moncton business consultant. He can be contacted at bill.bellstrategic@nb.aibn.com