The Pro-Life Society of British Columbia has learned that the national president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada –a long time activist of Planned Parenthood of British Columbia –is helping run a Vancouver abortuary, and possibly conducting her Planned Parenthood work out of a taxpayer-funded hospital.
Barbara Hestrin is the Program Director at the British Columbia Women’s Hospital and Health Centre Society (and is) assisting in the operation of the CARE abortuary. A letter, co-signed by Hestrin and circulated to B.C. physicians, asks them to consider referring “… a patient to our clinic for an abortion” (April 15, 1994).
Ted Gerk, media relations director for the Pro-Life Society of British Columbia, said it is becoming increasingly difficult for Planned Parenthood to avoid its identification with abortion referrals.
“Once again we see another link between Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry,” Gerk said.
“Hestrin and the Planned Parenthood network have put themselves in a conflict of interest. Planned Parenthood affiliates throughout B.C. (are) making abortion referrals to an abortuary that has, as on of its directors, a long-time Planned Parenthood activist …and who is the president of the organization. Not only that, but the presence of a Planned Parenthood representative using the abortuary facilities to conduct the business of the organization, directly links Planned Parenthood with the abortion industry, something they’ve always denied.”
Gerk said it is obvious Planned Parenthood throughout Canada is inching ever closer to actually running abortuaries in this country, like its American counterpart.” He said a group claiming to be merely “pro-choice” on abortion is in fact becoming an abortion-providing group.
