Pro-Choice Advocates Agree with Tory Health Critic on Need for Abortion Counselling

OTTAWA, June 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – While the media and several Liberal politicians continue to condemn Conservative Health Critic Rob Merrifield for his suggestion to have counselling prior to abortions, few have paid attention to the fact that abortion advocates themselves have called for such counselling when their moneyed interests suggested it.  Liberal MP Anne McClellan, a former federal Minister of Justice, was quoted on the CBC as saying that what Mr. Merrifield proposed is akin to “state imposed counselling”.  However, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that all persons undergoing any medical procedure in Canada must be fully informed of any and all possible consequences of their procedure regardless of how minute the complications may be. John Hof, President of Campaign Life Coalition BC told LifeSiteNews.com, “It is incredible that the former highest ranking law enforcement officer in the country is now advocating breaking the law.”  While abortion advocates may now be spouting political rhetoric against abortion counselling in a desperate attempt to shut the issue out of the political debate, “pro-choice” leaders themselves have previously called for such counselling.  Veteran abortion activist Joyce Arthur of the Pro-Choice Action Network said in a press release on November 29, 2000, “Hospitals do not provide any pre- or post-abortion counselling. A woman may get some counselling from her doctor, if she’s lucky.”  At the time Arthur was clamoring for abortions at private clinics where she claimed counselling occurred. (See the release:https://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/release-Nov-29-02.html)  Abortionists have also admitted under oath that abortion is a traumatic and very difficult decision – thus providing the strongest evidence for the absolute need of independent counselling on the procedure’s risks. World renowned Vancouver abortion Doctor Ellen Wiebe, while giving evidence under oath in Regina v. Lewis, is quoted in the court transcript at Page 195, line 37-43:  Q: And can you advise the court how the patients present themselves emotionally for abortion service?  A: Abortion is a very difficult thing for any woman to go through. I’ve never met one who wasn’t upset and they often tell me that this is the most difficult thing they’ve ever done in their lives. And so we…..virtually every woman is upset.