News

 By Tim Waggoner

OTTAWA, July 11, 2008 (LifeSitNews.com) – MPs across the country are uniting their voices in defiance against the induction of Dr. Henry Morgentaler into the Order of Canada.

“I am very disappointed and do not support this appointment.  A large number of Government MPs agree and we have already passed this sentiment on to the Prime Minister.  This controversial appointment takes away from legitimacy of this award,” wrote Hon. Loyola Hearn, MP for St. John’s South – Mount Pearl, in a response letter to a concerned constituent.

Likewise, MP Paul Zed, for St. John, New Brunswick, told a constituent that he does not support the Morgentaler decision, saying, “As a person who has always supported a pro-life position, I do not support this appointment.”

In reply to many letters from worried Canadians, MP Richard Harris for Cariboo – Prince George has sent a letter to all of his constituents affirming his opposition to Morgentaler’s appointment.

“The whole situation is a terrible reflection on our country when a Canadian citizen can be honoured for his division, not the unity, or betterment of his country.  Even today, Henry Morgentaler boasts about his own direct elimination of 100,000 preborn children,” said Harris.

Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville said, “This appointment is opposed by millions of Canadians who believe all life is sacrosanct – he should be left to fade into history. This decision completely devalues the Order of Canada.”

Breitkreuz criticized the appointing process of the Order and said that many other MPs and Senators agree that the Morgentaler announcement was a mistake.

“This gives the whole nomination process for Orders of Canada a black eye,” he said.  “This is a politically charged decision that should never have been made.”

“The advisory council for these awards is either asleep at the switch or blatantly political and callous. Some OC recipients have already given their awards back because the process has been corrupted,” added Breitkreuz.

Wild Rose MP Myron Thompson has released statements in condemnation of the decision.

“As one who firmly believes in the sanctity of human life, I am extremely upset by the Advisory Council’s nomination of Henry Morgentaler for the Order of Canada,” he said.

Thompson also said the Order of Canada has “been politicized and tarnished” by Morgentaler’s induction into it.

“Mr. Morgentaler’s activities in Canada are simply not achievements. He has been a central figure in a very divisive and emotional debate. Far from uniting Canadians with feelings of pride and appreciation, I am certain that this nominee will not receive unanimous support by either the House of Commons or the Canadian public,” added MP Thompson.

When Dean Allison, MP for Niagara West-Glanbrook, first heard the announcement, he proclaimed, “Give your heads a shake!”

Referring to the motto of the Order of Canada, “They desire a better country”, Allison said: “If the motto had been, ‘They desire a divided country,’ I might say the advisory council got it right with Dr. Morgentaler, and assume that next year’s nominees for the Order of Canada would include a prominent Quebec separatist.”

The MP also addressed Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin’s decision to appoint Morgentaler to the Order amid dissension on the Advisory Board. Normally a unanimous vote by the council has been a prerequisite in order to award the Order of Canada to a nominee.

Joy Smith, Member of Parliament for Kildonan – St. Paul, released a statement opposing Morgentaler’s appointment.

“As one who firmly believes in the sanctity of human life, I am deeply troubled by the Advisory Council’s nomination of Henry Morgentaler for the Order of Canada,” said Smith.

“Mr. Morgentaler’s activities in Canada are not achievements, and I am certain his nomination will not enjoy the unanimous support of either the House of Commons or the Canadian public that this prestigious award has traditionally had,” she finished.

Andrew Scheer, Member of Parliament for Regina-Qu’Appelle, also publicly opposed the decision.

“I am deeply troubled by the announcement that Henry Morgentaler has been awarded the Order of Canada.  I am greatly disappointed that Canada’s highest civilian honour has been politicized and debased by this appointment.

“Henry Morgentaler has been a central figure in a very divisive and emotional debate.  Far from uniting Canadians with feelings of pride and appreciation, there is a significant portion of the population who will be outraged by this decision,” said Scheer.

Three Nova Scotia MPs have told the Ottawa Bureau that they do not support the award being granted to Morgentaler. 

The spokesman for Defence Minister and Central Nova MP Peter MacKay said, “The minister has only heard negative things on this,” and that “he agrees with the prime minister that the order should bring Canadians together, not divide them.”

West Nova MP Robert Thibault, mentioned the divisive quality of the appointment as well as the fact that Morgentaler became quite wealthy from his endeavors – he was not providing his “service” free of charge.

“I’d prefer if he’d not been named,” he said. “It just brings that divisive issue back to the forefront. And it’s not like he did it in the volunteer Canadian spirit. He was running for-profit clinics.”

Independent MP Bill Casey also said the decision was “divisive” and “polarizing” and noted that he is aware of several Canadians who do in fact deserve the Order of Canada but did not receive it.

Important contact information can be found here:

List of Who to Call, E-Mail, Write to Get the Morgentaler Appointment Revoked
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08070715.html

The following is a list of MPs who are known to have publicly spoken out against the decision to award the Order of Canada to Dr. Henry Morgentaler:

Conservative MP Jason Kenney, Calgary Southeast, Alberta
  Conservative MP Andrew Scheer, Regina-Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan
  Conservative MP Ken Epp, Sherwood Park, Edmonton, Alberta
  Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge, Winnipeg South, Manitoba
  Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott, Saskatoon-Wanuskewin, Saskatchewan
  Liberal MP Dan McTeague, Pickering-Scarborough East, Ontario
  Liberal MP Paul Steckle, Huron-Bruce, Ontario
  Conservative MP Art Hanger, Calgary Northeast, Alberta
  Conservative MP Jeff Watson, Essex, Ontario
  Conservative MP Dr. James Lunney, Nanaimo-Alberni, British Columbia
  Conservative MP Pierre Lemieux, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Ontario
  Conservative MP David Anderson, Cypress Hills – Grasslands, Saskatchewan
  Conservative MP Rona Ambrose, Spruce Grove, Edmonton, Alberta
  Conservative MP Norm Doyle, St. John’s East, Newfoundland
  Conservative MP, Mike Allen, Tobique-Mactaquac, New Brunswick
  Conservative MP Rob Moore, Fundy Royal, New Brunswick
  Conservative MP Brad Trost, Saskatoon-Humboldt, Saskatchewan
  Conservative MP Bev Shipley, Lambton Kent Middlesex, Ontario
  Conservative MP Leon Benoit, Vegreville-Wainwright, Alberta
  Conservative MP Gerry Ritz, Battlefords-Lloydminster, Saskatchewan
  Conservative MP Colin Carrie, Oshawa, Ontario
  Conservative MP Carol Skelton, Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar, Saskatchewan
  Conservative MP Loyola Hearn, St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, Newfoundland
  Liberal MP Paul Zed, St. John, New Brunswick
  Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz, Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan
  Conservative MP Richard Harris, Cariboo – Prince George, British Columbia
  Conservative MP Myron Thompson, Wild Rose, Alberta
  Conservative MP Dean Allison, Niagara West-Glanbrook, Ontario
  Conservative MP Joy Smith, Kildonan – St. Paul, Manitoba
  Conservative MP Peter MacKay, Central Nova, Nova Scotia
  Liberal MP Robert Thibault. West Nova, Nova Scotia
  Independent MP Bill Casey, Cumberland Colchester Musquodoboit Valley, Nova Scotia

Sign the On Line Petition: “Rescind Order of Canada From Morgentaler”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08070702.html