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Conservative Government Soon to Decide on New Brunswick Refusal to Fund Private Abortions

By Gudrun Schultz

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, February 20, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – New Brunswick’s refusal to pay for abortions done at Morgentaler’s Fredericton clinic will soon be addressed by the Conservative government, according to a Health Canada spokesperson.

The province has fought with Ottawa for years over its determination not to pay for abortion procedures in private clinics, arguing that the federal government is operating under a double standard in singling out private abortions for provincial funding.

Former Liberal health minister Ujjal Dosanjh initiated arbitration proceedings—the dispute avoidance resolution process under the Canada Health Act—last year, but the process was interrupted by the election.

Peter Ryan, executive director of NB Right to Life, told the Daily Gleaner he could not understand the Liberal government’s justification for insisting that the province should cover private abortions.

“They made an exception for abortion,” Ryan said. “It’s up to the provinces to determine what medical procedures are paid for and not paid. It’s not up to the federal government or an arbitration panel to determine that.”

Ryan said Dosanjih’s demand that New Brunswick foot the bill for the Mogentaler clinic contradicted the former minister’s stance on other private clinic issues.

“It was just very strange,” Ryan said. “We hope under the Conservative government, there might be a different approach.”

The Morgentaler clinic is the only private abortion clinic in New Brunswick. According to the Gleaner, the clinic performs more than 600 abortions a year. At a charge of $500 to $750 dollars per abortion, the clinic brings in more than $350,000 dollars a year.

Pro-life leaders in the area are urging all pro-life Canadians to write to Health Minister Tony Clement and urge him to drop the arbitration proceedings.

To contact Health Minister Tony Clement:

Email at

Or call: 1-866-375-8669 to reach Mr. Clement’s voice mail. On his official website Mr. Clement has pledged to return all calls.

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