Politics
Thursday June 3, 2004
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
"Devout Catholic" Prime Minister Martin Dares Harper to Surpass Him in Abortion Support
June 3, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "I think it would be very good if Mr. Harper declared himself personally on a woman's right to choose. Is he in favour, or not? I have already stated my position." These are the words of Paul Martin, the Prime Minister who claims to be a devout Roman Catholic, taunting Steven Harper to out-do him in support of abortion. Martin made the comments after conservative MP Rob Merrifield called on the government to adopt mandatory counselling for women about to undergo an abortion. Informed consent laws are routinely and vigorously opposed by pro-abortion activists.
While Canadian bishops so far maintain a stony silence in the face of the increasingly brazen rhetoric of Martin's abortion support, Harper responded simply that Merrifield's opinion did not contradict his own. True to his well-known emphasis on democratic process, Harper today said that as a Conservative Prime Minister, he would allow a free vote in the House should a private member's bill be brought forward on the subject of abortion.
However, Martin himself seems to be conflicted on the issue of counselling, or perhaps has a different message for different audiences. In a campaign stop in Saskatoon on Monday, he responded to a high school student's question at Holy Cross Catholic high. One student asked, if abortion could not be stopped, "what can we do to decrease the amount of lives that are lost each year." Martin's response was to suggest that abortion was something that needed to be curtailed and toyed with the idea of counselling. He said, "It is a huge problem. The issue is obviously one of consulting and of comfort, of setting example and of essentially, doing all of those things in terms of prevention…"
Toronto Star coverage:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thes...
Globe and Mail story on Martin's Saskatoon campaign stop:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040513....
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Legislators Seek Abortion-on-Demand for Every State in Mexico
- Video Catches Planned Parenthood Covering Up Statutory Rape
- Kenyan Cardinal Blasts Government Attempt to Legalise Abortion
- Franciscan University Board Member Backs Obama, School Distances Itself
- Democratic Platform Promises, Republican Platform Rejects More Abortion Overseas
- San Francisco Catholic Charities Ends Relationship with the US' "Gayest Adoption Agency"
- US Government Cuts Off Supplies to Marie Stopes International
- Pope Commends Knights of Columbus for their Pro-Life Work
- The 16th International Week of Prayer and Fasting
- Billy Graham to Turn 90: Public Invited to Send Personal Stories, Birthday Wishes
- Catholic Magazine Calls For Defeat And Removal Of Prime Minister Harper
Most Read this Week
- Extreme Pro-Abortion Feminist Heather Mallick Scheduled to Speak at Catholic St. Mary's University
- Sarah Palin Speaks on Abortion, Contraception, Homosexuality
- Martin Sheen Stars in Ad Opposing Assisted Suicide in Washington State
- Abortion Patient of George Tiller Feared for Life: 'They're Liable to Kill Me'
- Bella Star Eduardo Saves Five Unborn Babies' Lives
- CBC Apologises for "Porn Star" Attack on Palin
- Russia: 64% of Pregnancies End in Abortion
- Catholic Magazine Calls For Defeat And Removal Of Prime Minister Harper
- Eduardo Verastegui Talks about Obama, Saving Babies Outside L.A. Abortion Clinic
- Swedish Man Awarded $24,170 Compensation after Filming Himself Having Sex with 14 Year-Old
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.