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VANCOUVER, Jan 26, 2001 (LSN.ca) – LifeSite has learned that the Children’s and Women’s Health Centre (CWHC) of British Columbia has “unique and diverse responsibilities in maintaining and facilitating abortion services throughout British Columbia.” The information comes from David Loukidelis, Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC in a recently released order concerning a refused information request for determining the number of abortions performed at CWHC, as well as the gestational age.

Loukidelis agreed with CWHC that they did not have to release the information to the applicant, Ted Gerk. The Commissioner’s reasoning, however, has raised additional questions because of the amount of information which was stipulated as “in camera” or secret. Gerk, the head of the BC Pro-Life Resource Centre told LifeSite that he was not able to argue his case effectively to the Commissioner since so much of the material and argumentation submitted by the CWHC was held secret. Gerk said he requested the information after learning that at least one doctor at the hospital was involved with experimentation with aborted baby body parts, having ordered aborted baby limbs. Also it was known that botched abortions had taken place there and live-born babies were left to die without medical attention.

Loukidlelis’ decision is most troubling. He suggests that provision of the statistics could somehow lead to an identification of the physicians involved in the abortions. Moreover, he accepts the argument of the CWHC that once the abortionists are discovered “there is a reasonable expectation of a threat to their safety or mental or physical health harassment, threats and violence.”

For the full order see:  https://www.oipcbc.org/orders/Order01-01.html