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Canada Shocks U.N. Delegates

Defines reproductive health "services" as including abortion

Special Report by LifeSite UN Correspondents
United Nations Headquarters, New York

During intense negotiations at the third Preparatory Meeting for the World Summit on Children to be held September 19-21, Canada "shocked" delegations with a statement pertaining to "reproductive health care services".

The disruption happened at 10pm on Tuesday when member states were debating the document section stating: "promote full gender equality and equal access to services...including sexual and reproductive health care...". After being asked by the US to explain what "services" meant, a Canadian representative stated "the distinguished delegate of the United States knows that of course - and I hate to use the word - but in 'services' is included abortion".

This first ever admission at the U.N. that "services" is understood to include abortion stunned delegates. Terry Miller, the US delegate, immediately objected to the inclusion of "services" and asked that it be bracketed throughout the document for further discussion. This objection was then backed by other delegations including the Holy See and the RIO group (composed of 19 Latin American countries).

Holy See delegate, Mnsgr. Reinert expressed his disaproval and "shock" : "If this conference agrees to this definition of the word services, we will have to go through this entire document and all future documents where this word is used. We cannot accept this language."

The RIO group, who had been siding with many anti-family, anti-life propositions by the European Union up to this point, vehemently expressed their reservation with this now stated meaning of "services." As spokesperson for the group, the Chilean delegate said, "Never before have we heard that the word services include abortion...we agree to its deletion".

Andras Vamos-Goldman, Counsellor (Political Affairs) from the permanent Canadian mission and the delegate who explicitly, but reluctantly, declared the pro-abortion reference of the word "services", attempted to downplay his words. He stated that nations can interpret the word however they want. The Holy See continued to reject this language. Negotiations were stifled for the remainder of the evening.

The US delegation has been very supportive in promoting pro-life, pro-family interests at the UN, probably as a result of the Bush administration. The Canadian delegation, led by Sen. Landon Pearson, maintains its anti-life, anti-family stance by proposing language like "various forms of the family" and "sexual and reproductive health".

The use of the term abortion in definition of "services" is unprecedented in UN negotiations. At this conference dealing specifically with children's rights, it is difficult for many delegates to understand why abortion is even being discussed. It is clear that certain delegations, including Canada and the European Union, have an intense pro-abortion agenda for children.

Although the paragraph with this abortion reference is still under further discussion, negotiations will carry through till Friday, June 15. All night negotiations are expected on Friday.

Canadians are encouraged to IMMEDIATELY telephone their Member of Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and insist that the Canadian delegation be told to cease its pro-abortion, and anti-family tactics at the prepcom for the World Summit of Children.

Members of Parliament contact information is found at:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/SenatorsMembers_House.asp?Language=E&Sect=hoccur
The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs may be contacted at
(613) 992-3269
(613) 995-1534


See other articles on this development:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=23230
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0016378.html

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