New facility violates Harris promise of no new abortion clinics
TORONTO, Feb 2, 2001 (LSN.ca) – Yesterday, about 30 persons peacefully picketed The Abortion Care Clinic, also operating as the Women’s Care Clinic, at 960 Lawrence Ave. W., Suite 501 in Toronto.
Protesters say that this newest Toronto abortion facility has been quietly operating for over two years with the abortions done by a Dr. Markovic. This is the first time that the abortuary has been picketed.
LifeSite interviewed the property manager of 960 Lawrence who came out of the building accompanied by two of the several police officers who were called to the building because of the protest. He denied that any abortions took place in the large five story medical offices building and would not confirm that a Dr. Markovic, whose name was on the protester signs and handouts, could be an abortionist operating in the building. He stated “there are many people with that name in the building.”
Contradicting the property manager’s information, a search for “abortion” on the major www.toronto.com website, lists The Abortion Care Clinic at the building’s address. As well, one of the protesters told LifeSite that he went up to the fifth floor and talked to a man whose girlfriend was in the clinic for an abortion at that time. Joanne Dieleman, of the pro-life crisis pregnancy centre, Aid to Women, also related that one of her clients stated that she had an abortion at the Lawrence Ave. W. clinic.
Protesters stated it appears the clinic does not do abortions full-time and schedules them for certain days of the week. Nevertheless, they say the existence of this facility indicates that Premier Mike Harris’ often-stated promise that there would be no new abortion clinics under a Harris government has clearly been violated.
The new abortion centre is located across the street from the large Italian community’s Columbus Centre and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.