TORONTO, Mar 1 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The number of reported abortions in the province of Ontario jumped 5% in 1998 over 1997, and is up a huge 20% from 1995. After refusing to release the statistics for a year and a half until forced to do so by the privacy commissioner, the Ontario Ministry of Health finally admitted there were 44,002 babies killed by abortion in 1998 in the province. That compares to 41,886 in 1997; 41,674 in 1996; 38,048 in 1995; and 42,246 in 1994. It can thus be estimated that about 1.5% of women aged 15-49 in Ontario had an abortion in 1998.
Although applied for in 1998, the stats were only released this week to the National Post. The paper applied to the Information and Privacy Commission to get them after repeatedly being denied the data by the provincial health department. Almost as disturbing as the number of babies killed is the false stereotypes and mythology used by Elizabeth Witmer’s department to refuse releasing the information. Arguing against the release of the figures, the Ministry claimed that “what abortion-related statistics now too often contribute to is uncontrolled passion, be it expressed by a mob or by a lone individual who stalks and is willing to kill.” “Few issues,” said the Ministry, “have the staying power of the debate on abortion ... Regardless of what the statistics show, one group or the other may use them to advance its own ends, with the resulting violence that occurs. ... In what has been termed ‘the increasingly deadly abortion debate,’ both sides, pro-life and pro-choice, continue to polarize society with noisy and intimidating public protests, sometimes requiring the forceful separation by police of opposite sides in abortion demonstrations,” the ministry wrote. (National Post, 29 Feb 2000, A10)
With the possible exception of the mysterious lone gunman whose identity or motives are not known, the history of abortion opposition in Canada has been one of a legitimate mass human rights movement characterized by extraordinarily responsible behaviour. For over 30 years pro-life protests have rarely been noisy and usually consisted of silent vigils or hymn singing, prayer and holding signs. The days of the always peaceful but dramatic Operation Rescues are long past. Violence, shouting, chanting, pushing and general mob activity have been the characteristic of abortion activists who often have radical, anti-social connections and extreme left-wing, anti-democratic views.
Pro-life leaders are dumbfounded by the Ontario government’s irrational policy and wonder who is really in charge on this issue in that government and what it is that the government actually fears.
(with files from Pro-Life E-News)