Politics
Wednesday August 20, 2008
Freedom of Conscience for Ontario Doctors: Public Comment Extended to September 12
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By Tim Waggoner
OTTAWA, August 20, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - After receiving pressure from several public interest groups, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has extended the designated public comment period on their proposed policy that would force physicians to refer patients for medical practices that conflict with their consciences.
Public comment on the new draft policy document, "Physicians and the Ontario Human Rights Code", was slated to end on August 15, but concerned groups demanded this period be extended. Under the proposed plan physicians will be in breach of the Human Rights Code if they refuse to refer women for controversial practices such as abortion or same-sex fertility treatment.
"Canada has an established custom of accommodating sincerely held religious and conscientious convictions as much as possible," said the Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL) in a press release regarding the policy. "The expectation that physicians must set aside their beliefs with regard to treatments or referrals that violate their conscience is unreasonable."
CCRL has invoked the College to review and revise the proposed policy to "offer the best possible protection for freedom of religion and freedom of conscience for all concerned."
The Protection of Conscience Project and Physicians for Life also protested the policy, with the latter saying it came at a huge surprise because it "would appear to severely limit the freedom of Ontario physicians to practice according to their conscientious/religious beliefs."
The extended public comment period will close on September 12.
To express concerns to the College contact:
or
Andréa Foti
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
80 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2E2
Tel: 416.967.2600 ext. 387
Fax: 416.967.2644
Email:
See a copy of the draft policy here:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008_docs/HumanRightsDRAFT_0...
See the Physicians for Life press release here:
http://www.physiciansforlife.ca/html/press/Aug15_2008_CPSOConsciencePolicy.html
See related coverage:
Ontario Plan: Professional Misconduct when Doctors Fail to Refer for Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08081508.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- BREAKING: US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 to 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Today
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- Canadian MP Launches Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood
- Planned Parenthood's President Lashes Out at USCCB
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.