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ABORTIONIST WANTS MORE MONEY
With his eight freestanding abortion clinics
in Canada whirling away, destroying human life - financed
by provincial health care systems - Canada's abortionist Morgentaler
is still not satisfied. It is conservatively estimated, based
on abortion statistics and the average cost of an abortion,
that Morgentaler makes approximately $11 million annually.
He wants more money, this time from the New Brunswick provincial
government. The latter pays for abortions performed in two
of its hospitals, one in Saint John and the other in Fredericton.
However, the New Brunswick government refuses to cover the
costs of any private clinics - abortion or otherwise - stating
that it is not the policy of the government to do so.
The policy on abortion in New Brunswick is
that the province will fund only first trimester abortions
performed by an obstetrician/gynaecologist at approved hospitals
after a woman obtains a certificate from two doctors.
This policy has annoyed Morgentaler for some
time as he believes that it cuts down on his business.
Morgentaler first sought the assistance of
former Minister of Health, Allan Rock, to try to intimidate
the New Brunswick government into funding his private abortion
clinic. Rock, ever-obliging on all matters that undermine
traditional values, whether non-medical drug use, homosexuality
or abortion, duly wagged his finger menacingly at the New
Brunswick government, which completely ignored him, and continued
undeterred with its policy on abortion.
Next up to bat, in October 2002, was the current
Minister of Justice, Anne McLellan, who warned the New Brunswick
government that she would not rule out withholding transfer
payments to New Brunswick if it continues to refuse to fully
cover the costs of abortions performed at private clinics,
because she claimed, abortions are "medically necessary."
The latter is scarcely the case since nearly all abortions
performed in Canada are for socio-economic reasons, not medical
ones.
Moreover, according to Dr. Will Johnston,
President of Canadian Physicians for Life, abortions put thousands
of women at risk for breast cancer - over all, a minimum 30%
increase in the risk of breast cancer. There is also a risk
of post-abortion emotional trauma, plus the danger of premature
delivery in subsequent pregnancies because of a previous abortion.
The risk following one abortion rises by 30%, and following
two previous abortions, by a distressing 90%.
But, no matter, it's the money that counts.
Morgentaler wants to increase the 500 abortions per year performed
in this Fredericton clinic, and wants the New Brunswick taxpayers
to pay for his services.
Since threats from the Ministers of Health
were not bringing the desired results, Morgentaler finally
decided that he would have to launch a legal action himself
against the New Brunswick government. On July 16, 2003, he
filed a lawsuit against the Province of New Brunswick at the
Court of Queen's Bench in Fredericton, alleging that New Brunswick's
policy of not funding his private abortion clinic in Fredericton
violates (a) a woman's Charter right to abortion; (b) the
Canada Health Act; and (c) provisions of the Province's
Medical Services Payment Act insuring all New Brunswickers.
New Brunswick is the only province with a freestanding abortion
clinic that receives no public funding whatever. Some limited
funding (for physicians' services) is provided for Morgentaler's
abortion clinics in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Manitoba
and Quebec, whereas other provinces cover the entire cost
of physicians' services as well as the costs of the facility.
In Ontario, Morgentaler really hit the jackpot. The former
provincial NDP government in 1994 undertook a policy continued
on under the Conservative government to pay the rent of a
10 year lease on Morgentaler's clinic for a total of $5,000,000
plus $450,000 to cover security of the clinic. In addition,
Morgentaler is funded under the provincial medical system
for his "services."
On August 14, 2003, the New Brunswick Attorney-General,
Brad Green, filed his defence stating that medically necessary
medicare-funded abortions are provided at several hospitals.
The Province took no position on (a) the right to life of
the unborn child, (b) the health risks to women from abortion,
(c) whether abortions at the Morgentaler clinic are elective
rather than medically necessary, or (d) the type or manner
of "service" provided at the clinic.
Consequently, a pro-life coalition headed
by Peter Ryan, Executive Director of the New Brunswick Right
to Life Association, applied in November for intervener status
at the trial level. The coalition, called the Coalition for
Life and Health includes the following organizations:
1. New Brunswick Right to Life
2. Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John
3. Focus on the Family
4. REAL Women of Canada
5. Physicians for Life
6. Catholic Civil Rights League
7. Christian Legal Fellowship; and
8. Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
Morgentaler is not only demanding government
funding of his clinic, but is also attempting to nail down
abortion as a constitutional right in Canada by this case.
The 1988 Supreme Court of Canada Morgentaler decision
struck down the abortion law on procedural grounds, but did
not declare that women have a constitutional right to abortion.
Consequently, there is much at stake in this case.
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