For all the talk about the democracy deficit, there is a much greater deficit in the political arena: a morality deficit. Consider just two facts (for the sake of brevity): o In 2000, then-prime minister Jean Chretien declared that Canada had "social peace" on abortion, indicating that the debate was over. The blood of more than 110,000 unborn babies killed in the [...]
There has been much talk about the "democracy deficit" recently, as Prime Minister Paul Martin championed the cause of more freedom and accountability for MPs. Of course, almost every candidate seeking the leadership of any party promises a greater role for MPs; no leader wants to be seen as being against democracy. But few have acted on those promises once they have [...]
Their voices were heard loud and clear among the more than 100,000 people who attended this year's 31st annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. From all across the United States - and even from Canada - they came, the latest vanguard in a growing movement that seeks to end an almost conspiratorial silence about the myths of "safe and legal" abortion. [...]
'Merciful Release': The History of the British Euthanasia Movement by N.D.A. Kemp (Manchester University Press, $74.95 (US), 288 pages). Review by Ian R. Dowbiggin The Interim It seems that hardly a day goes by without euthanasia making front-page news. Taken from the Greek word for "good death," euthanasia is one of the most contentious, hot-button issues today. Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands [...]
Richard John Neuhaus Special to The InterimThe defenders of judicial activism, properly understood as the judicial usurpation of politics, count on wearing down their critics over time. Robert H. Bork is not easily worn down. He returns to the battle with a new book, Coercing Virtue: The Worldwide Rule of Judges (AEI, 159 pp., $25). Not only in America, but throughout the [...]
Abortion The Minnesota Medical Association calls a state health department website mentioning studies linking abortion and breast cancer "misleading" and "confusing," while the state branch of the American College of Obstretricians and Gynecologists says the site is deceptive. The health department also claims there are studies that say there is no link ... The Centre for Reproductive Rights tells Focus on the Family, the Catholic Family [...]
Sex-selection IVF FAIRFAX, Va. - The Genetics and IVF Institute is conducting a Food and Drug Administration-endorsed clinical trial of the new Microsort technology for sex-selection of embryos created using in-vitro fertilization. Thus far, 400 couples have signed on to the trial, which is nearly half-way to completion. The Microsort technique for sex-selection involves using dye to mark sperm and a laser [...]
Boston College philosopher Peter Kreeft has said about the problem of suffering and injustice: "God's answer is not an explanation, but a deed." Kreeft, of course, was talking about the Crucifixion of Christ. This month, we begin the season of Lent and Father Ted Colleton explains the significance of this in his column. Fittingly, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is [...]
The National Citizen's Coalition, a pro-free market, pro-individual liberty organization, goes to court in February to oppose the federal "gag law." Its fight is for freedom of speech and freedom of expression during election campaigns. Its fight is also our fight. The law limits how much money an organization or individual can spend to put out issue ads or other political activities [...]
Review by John-Henry Westen The Interim 'I felt like a visionary, or like I was in a time machine," was the reaction of the lady next to me at the preview of The Passion of the Christ. The weight of Pope John Paul II's reported reflection after seeing the film: - "It is as it was" - was brought home during an [...]
I am "stealing" the following article from an Irish magazine. Having read it, you may say, "Well, we can't all be like Mother Teresa." That's true. But we can all learn something from her, which could affect our lives and the lives of others. So here it goes. Apparently, she had been asked the secret of her success with the poor and [...]
Once again, a new year is upon us ... we look back to the old at the same time we glance forward. There are some interesting developments. On Nov. 27, the Planned Parenthood Association of B.C. changed their name. I have no idea why they felt that the name "Planned Parenthood" no longer warranted a letterhead. That is for others to speculate. [...]
Stalin would feel right at home with our electoral system. It can be bought, twisted and manipulated, as Ontario demonstrated recently. The truth is that people who don't vote are telling all the politicians, "None of you is worth getting off my duff to vote for!" (I'm quoting a disgruntled voter at the door.) But those people are voting. They're sitting on [...]
As we emerge from the Christmas season, sacred to many because it marks the birth of the Son of God to a virgin mother, this paper carries a troubling story of casual sexual activity among adolescents and older teens. It could be set in any part of the country. One teen noted that today, virgins are looked down on. With these attitudes, [...]
It was a CBC Radio call-in show in the early afternoon. The guests included an Anglican rector, and an articulate Anglican layman from Christ Church in Hamilton, where two lesbians had been "married" in August of this year. The host posed this question for the listeners: "What would you advise Anglican people to do over the same-sex marriage issue?" I tried to [...]