A group of nurses in Ontario is finding that the principle of choice doesn’t always work both ways on the abortion issue. The five nurses have filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission on religious grounds after they were put in the position of having to participate in abortion procedures at Markham Stouffville hospital, just outside Toronto. One of them [...]
Although there had been worldwide shock and dismay over the recent destruction in England of 3,300 (or more) abandoned embryos conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF), its pretty well open season on the tiny humans in Canada. There are currently no laws governing IVF in this country, thanks mainly to the reluctance of former federal Health Minister Diane Marleau to enact mandatory guidelines [...]
The destruction of human embryos in England can be seen as another case of reproductive technology outpacing the law. Research into in-vitro fertilization, while designed to help infertile couples, did not immediately take into account the moral and ethnical questions surrounding the treatment of “spare” embryos. Britain in fact, was a pioneering nation in the science of in-vitro fertilization, and perhaps it [...]
Although the rate of conception is very high with in-vitro fertilization (IVF), successful embryo transfer (ET) and implantation is much more difficult and is usually the stage at which the procedure fails. A fertility clinic often speaks of its high pregnancy rate, which usually refers to the chemical pregnancy in the fist few days, but the implantation rate is much lower, miscarriages [...]
On August 1st, in a move called “a pre-natural massacre” (Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano) and “a new milestone for the culture of death” (Catholic World News), British scientists began the destruction of more than 3, 300 human embryos. An appeal was made to 900 couples whose frozen embryos were scheduled to be destroyed, when the five-year limit on their storage had run [...]
Nine years ago in the car Adrian Dieleman was driving crashed, rolled over and severed his spinal cord, leaving him a quadriplegic at 22. “It was not an accident, it was a preventable injury” contends Dieleman. “Accident suggests fate or something irreversible but most injuries are preventable by someone involved.” The number one killer of people under 20 is injuries. Adrian Dieleman, [...]
Question: My wife and I disagree strongly about the role of materialism in out children’s lives. She feels we should give them toys and games that we never had as kids. At Christmas time, we stack gifts knee deep around the tree. I feel this is a mistake, even if we could afford what we are doing. What is your view on [...]
Holly is the spunky Irish setter who was horribly abused by a 65-year-old Ontario woman who had been asked to look after her. Her case has evoked more sympathy from all over the world than the million and a half babies who have been aborted since 1969. Holly was tied to a car bumper by Maureen Cook and dragged 500 metres along [...]
Allan Rock is a tortoise. He plods through life and wins all the races. Give him a goal – the higher the better – and off he’ll shuffle, perfectly content, quite unstoppable. Rock is a jogger – a serious jogger. Jogging plays to his strengths: miles prudently squirreled away day after day, his fitness steadily compounding. Serious joggers are the Swiss bankers [...]
The arrest of two picketers for displaying “obscene” signs outside a Toronto abortuary clinic should not be dismissed tightly by the larger pro-life community. Although one of the charges was eventually changed to mischief, the arrests indicate that public witnessing – a vital cog in the pro-life machinery – may be in for some hard times. Admittedly, some of the signs displayed [...]
The recent destruction of more than 3,300 embryos by British fertility clinic technicians was a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of human life in its earliest stages of development. The incident also underscores how breakthroughs in the field of human reproductive technology are still running well ahead of legal and ethical constraints. It’s not surprising that Britain should be the first nation [...]
New York – Cardinal John O’Connor of the New York archdiocese reaffirmed his opposition to President Bill Clinton’s stand on abortion by refusing to invite the president to the popular Al Smith dinner. Named in honor of the first Catholic governor of the State of New York, the Al Smith dinner has welcomed US presidents for the last 60 years. This year’s [...]
The accusation is often made that some pro-life organizations are too uncompromising – even “too pro-life”. It is claimed that if they would but soften their opposition to some abortions (e.g. for rape, incest, and physical imperfections), then more people would join pro-life groups and some babies could be saved. However, apart from the moral and ethical issues, the history of abortion [...]
Organizers in Toronto and across the country are busy with preparations for the sixth International Life Chain, scheduled for Sunday, October 6 from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. Sponsored in Toronto by the North York Knights of Columbus and Campaign Life Coalition, the annual life chains are powerful visual reminders or pro-life solidarity. Life Chains are being organized throughout Canada and the U.S. [...]
Campaign Life Coalition has criticized the federal government’s decision to limit access to abortion information from Statistics Canada record keeping. The federal agency announced that abortion data will no longer be collected by Statistics Canada, but by the privately run Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). The CIHI was established in 1994 by merging two non-profit, non-governmental organizations. StatsCan is soon to [...]