News

By John-Henry Westen

OTTAWA, April 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – This morning representatives from the office of the Canadian Governor General received a petition of 18,222 names opposing the award of the Order of Canada to the man most responsible for the legalization of abortion in Canada – abortionist Henry Morgentaler.  The petition marks the second large petition submitted in opposition to the award.  A petition launched by Campaign Life Coalition with 30,000 names was submitted in August.

Morgentaler was named to the Order on Canada Day, July 1st, last year, and received the physical award during a ceremony on October 10, 2008. The Order is given by the Governor General, with individuals being nominated by an advisory committee.

The current petition, organized by the Family Coalition Party, was submitted by a delegation of 10 youth, lead by former Broadway performer, David MacDonald, who is the father of an aborted child.  Frances Wilkenson, a woman carrying a sign reading ‘I regret my abortion’, and Faytene Kryskow, director of 4 My Canada were also part of the delegation.

In addition to the petition, MacDonald read out a letter to addressed to the Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean.  Part of the letter read: “As a person who helped pay for an abortion and watched my girlfriend, who was a medical doctor, deteriorate afterward, I am profoundly aware of abortion’s repercussions on both women and men. There has been no greater mistake in my life, and I believe there has been no greater mistake made by the office of the Governor General than to honour abortion this way.”

Lucy Caron, Director of Communications, and Madeline Proulx, from the Chancellery office of the Governor General met with the delegation and received the petition.

MacDonald, said, however, that the event took an odd turning at several points. Proulx, he said, informed the group while receiving the petitions that they did not have permission to take photos. But as they were on a public sidewalk, and what appeared to be a news camera was present, photos were taken.

It was later discovered that the news camera was a camera-man sent by the Governor General’s office to record the event, although it was unclear for what purpose.

Minutes after handing in the petition, while the group was huddled in prayer and conversation, two RCMP police officers demanded to speak with MacDonald separately from the group.  According to MacDonald, the officers identified themselves as part of the “Special Events to the Governor General” unit and said they were dispatched by the coordinator in charge of public events for the Governor General.

MacDonald relates that one of the officers demanded his name and contact information, and stated that he was investigating whether the group was engaging in an “unscheduled protest.”  When MacDonald replied that it was a scheduled meeting with the representatives of the Governor General and not a protest, the officer pointed to the “I regret my abortion” sign carried by Frances Wilkinson. “I hardly think of one woman holding an ‘I regret my abortion sign’ to be an unscheduled protest,” responded MacDonald.

LifeSiteNews.com confirmed with the Communications Director of the Governor General’s office that the meeting was indeed scheduled.  However, Ms. Lucy Carol said she was “not aware” of the action by the police and directed LifeSiteNews.com to the RCMP. RCMP communications officer Carolin Poulin said she would need to get more information on the incident, prior to responding specifically, but did say that the RCMP was responsible for security at the GG’s office.

MacDonald says that he told the officer after the interrogation, “I find this extremely intimidating, and I think you are sending a strong message to these young people that if they disagree with officials, they will be treated like suspected criminals.”