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RELIGIOUS GROUPS OPPOSE COMMONS COMMITTEE EMBRYO RESEARCH DECISION

OTTAWA, December 14, 2001 (LSN.ca) - The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) commented on the Commons Health Committee report on the proposed new reproductive technology legislation. The legislation, while banning all forms of human cloning, recommended permitting destructive research on human embryos. Both the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party issued dissenting reports asking that there be a moratorium and a ban respectively on embryonic stem cell research.

Bruce Clemenger, Director of EFC's Centre for Faith and Public Life said, "While we applaud the clear support for the prohibitions contained in the draft bill, the Health Committee missed the opportunity to close the door on the practice of sacrificing of human embryos for scientific research, a practice that is contrary to a deep respect of human life." Clemenger said he agreed with the report's recommendation to limit the number of embryos created for IVF and developing alternative practices, but said "existing embryos should be placed for adoption, not destroyed in research." An EFC release said the group will urge the Minister of Health to make the changes recommended in the report prior to tabling the legislation in the House of Commons. However, they will urge the Minister to ban all destructive research on human embryos.

While pleased with the prohibitions in the report, the CCCB said it was "deeply disappointed that the Committee has decided to allow research on embryos who remain after fertility treatments...because the research kills the embryo." The CCCB remarked that "No amount of healing or good can justify the deliberate killing of a human being or using a human being as a means to an end." It noted that "The Committee's decision is all the more puzzling because it heard evidence that adult stem cell research, which does not involve harming another human life, is showing remarkable promise."

The Bishops warned that "having abandoned the basic principle that human life cannot be destroyed for the potential benefit of others, it will be very difficult to maintain the limits that have been set on embryo research." The CCCB called it "deeply troubling" that "At a time when more and more bath and beauty products bear witness to an increased sensitivity by advertising 'no animal testing', our society is at risk of having legislation which will for the first time permit research that will result in the death of a human being."

See the EFC and CCCB releases:
http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/media/pr_viewer.asp?Press_Release_ID=112

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