August 6, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Rita MacNeil is one of Canada’s most popular country singers and is widely considered to be one of the country’s most family-friendly icons. The host of the popular “Rita and Friends” television show is a member of the Order of Canada, has recorded 22 albums, and has won numerous prestigious music awards.
Recently unearthed documents and footage, however, reveal that MacNeil was heavily involved in the radical 1970s women’s liberation movement, including, at least on one occasion, speaking at a pro-abortion rally.
The news broke on Monday that documents had been found that showed that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had been spying on the women’s movement in the 1970s in an attempt to determine of they presented a subversive threat, particularly if they were in any way affiliated with communism. Amongst those women specifically mentioned 
in the RCMP reports was MacNeil, who launched her career by singing at feminist rallies. At the time the singer was a member of the Toronto Women’s Caucus.
CTV News broadcast footage of MacNeil at the microphone looking out over a crowd, including a large sign saying, “Toronto Abortion Campaign Committee.” “End job discrimination,” sings the popular singer. It is unclear whether MacNeil herself addressed the question of abortion at the rally.
The footage also showed the sidewalks outside the rally lined with a large crowd of pro-life protestors carrying signs saying “protect the unborn,” “abortion is harmful to babies,” and “Toronto Right to Life.”
The host of CTV AM also interviewed MacNeil via telephone and specifically referred to the fact that the movement with which the singer was so involved was working for such things as “equal pay” and “abortion rights.” MacNeil did not dispute the abortion rights statement, instead saying only, “and especially daycare.”