Infringes on Provincial Jurisdiction by Insisting Abortion is “medically necessary”
MONCTON, N.B., Dec 14, 2000 (LSN.ca) – After having run a campaign promising not to “reopen the abortion debate” (with the claim that there is “social peace” on the issue), the Liberal government is opening the controversy – but only to force further taxpayer funding of the disturbing practise in New Brunswick. Federal Health Minister Allan Rock was quoted by the Canadian Press today as saying, “We are concerned that medically necessary services are made available to all Canadians without charge.”
Rock’s statement infringes on provincial government jurisdiction since the provinces have authority under the Canada Health Act to determine which procedures qualify as “medically necessary” and are therefore subject to government funding. Rock’s insistence that abortion is a “medically necessary service” is challenged by opponents who point out that pregnancy is not a disease and that the elective procedure of abortion is always referred to by abortion rights advocates as a “choice”.
New Brunswick does pay for abortions up to the 12th week of pregnancy committed at hospitals by an obstetrician-gynecologist after the approval of two physicians. But abortionist Henry Morgentaler, whose private baby-killing franchise business has made him a fortune in Canada, is complaining that his Fredericton “clinic”, which aborts babies at least until 16 weeks and without the need for two consenting doctors, is not funded.
(with files from Pro-Life E-News Canada)