---

Abortionist: "World is a Kinder, Gentler Place" because of Abortion

By Frank Monozlai
 
TORONTO, January 30, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Friday January 25, a broad array of pro-abortion activists came together at the University of Toronto Law School for an interdisciplinary symposium commemorating the twentieth anniversary of R v. Morgentaler, the Supreme Court case in which the criminal law on abortion in Canada was deemed unconstitutional. 
 
The day was divided into predominantly legal analysis of the decision and the remaining barriers to abortion access, followed afterwards by talks from abortion providers, the journalist Heather Mallick, Member of Parliament Dr. Carolyn Bennett, and a talk on abortion at the United Nations.   
 
Host Dean Mayo Moran of the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, gave a very warm welcome and show of support for the aims of the assembled activists, followed by the same from Vicki Saporta of the National Abortion Federation, who then introduced keynote speaker Dr. Henry Morgantaler.
 
Dr. Morgentaler's remarks reinforced his earlier public statements that safe and legal abortions contribute to a healthier and more equal society. He stated, "I also believe that the world is a kinder, gentler place because women in Canada now have choices," followed later by the assertion that, "I believe that the documented decrease in crime is directly related to women's access to abortion." When talking about the quality of medical care and compassion for patients at his clinics, Morgentaler stressed, "I am proud of what I have been able to achieve." 
 
Seeing abortion in terms of promoting women's equality, he concluded with the assertion, "I have contributed to the realization of a juster society, where people have a greater opportunity to realize their full potential." A standing ovation ensued.
 
In their analysis of the Supreme Court's decision and what has since followed, the speakers present said that they were thankful for the decision and yet were hesitant to declare victory; they recognized that since it merely removed legal restrictions on abortion it did not necessarily guarantee easy access, especially in regions where the provincial governments have tried to restrict the opening of abortion clinics, or throughout many of Canada's rural regions where it is difficult to find physicians willing to perform abortions. 
 
During the presentations by abortionists, it was stressed that most medical schools offer minimal or no exposure to the practice.  Doctor Gary Romalis, an abortionist who survived two attempts on his life, bemoaned the fact that in the school where he learned to practice medicine only one hour of discussion of abortion is mandated in the curriculum.  Some forty percent of medical schools do not offer abortion training at all, and it remains an optional subject in most of the rest. 
 
Abortionist Konia Trauten of Vancouver Island Women's Clinic emphasized her goal of seeking to mainstream abortion practice in a women's clinic. She also stressed the need for abortionists to work aggressively to form bonds with medical practitioners across disciplines as a means of breaking through to other areas of the medical profession that continue to distance themselves from abortion.
 
Journalist Heather Mallick and MP Dr. Carolyn Bennett tried to examine the state of the abortion debate amongst the broader public.  Mallick suggested that the main problem for those at the symposium who want get their message across to the public is that the media is always in search of a stunning headline, which the current issues of accessibility in remote regions or the curricula of medical schools fail to provide. 
 
Dr Bennett's presentation focused more on her history as a physician and understanding of her role as an elected Member of Parliament. She said that she was particularly disturbed by the size and scale of the annual "March for Life" and displayed the quotes of various pro-life politicians from the past several years. "This is wacko," she said.

 Back to Top

---

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.