The brightest spot in the ongoing struggle between the government of British Columbia and the members of Surrey Memorial Hospital Society is the latter’s annual candlelight procession around the hospital.
Hospitals in British Columbia are run by societies whose paid-up members elect a board which establishes policy. In Surrey’s case the board’s policy on abortion was not supported by the doctors who registered their protest by refusing to serve on any of the hospital’s medical committees, effectively paralyzing the Hospital’s administration. This paralysis was arbitrarily relieved by the Minister of Health through the appointment of a public administrator to whom was assigned the duties and powers of the board. That was two years ago. Then and each September since, at the time of what would otherwise have been the annual general meeting, members of the Society have held a rally to register their protest over the Minister’s action, and concluded with a candlelight procession around the hospital.
They more then rally, though, in 1981 they challenged the Minister’s action in the B.C Supreme Court; in 1982 the court upheld the Minister. The ruling is now is being appealed, with a hearing expected in December.
While the Society members have been denied their legal right to end abortions at Surrey Memorial Hospital through the abolition of the Abortion Committee, they are nonetheless having a marked effect, in that the number of abortions at the hospital has dropped dramatically over the two-year tenure of the public administrator.
There is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel in this dispute kept alive by the now annual candlelight procession supported by an ever-increasing number of better-informed members of the community.
The petition
In spite of the recent protests by a few pro-abortion demonstrators, over 50,000 people in B.C. have made it clear that Dr. Henry Morgentaler is not welcome in B.C. A petition has been delivered to Attorney General Brian Smith from a pro-life group called Campaign Life B.C. The petition calls on Smith to prosecute Morgentaler or anyone who opens an abortion clinic here.
At the time he was opening his Winnipeg abortion clinic, Morgentaler indicated that he was considering opening more clinics in Ontario and B.C. That prompted pro-life groups to seek support from citizens for their stand that Morgentaler should not be permitted to defy the law. Within a short time, over 50,000 signatures were obtained.
Frank Wagner, President of Campaign Life, fully expects that the government will act upon the petition, even though they did not seem anxious to receive it. “We made a few attempts to arrange a meeting with the Premier or Key Cabinet Ministers to present the petition directly. The Attorney General and Health Minister Nielsen responded to the latest attempt for a meeting by suggesting that we send it by mail! It is unfortunate that they couldn’t spare ten minutes to personally receive the signatures, but they cannot ignore the request made by the petition itself.
“Morgentaler is clearly defying the law and B.C. must act as promptly and strongly as Ontario and Manitoba should he come here,” said Wagner, “ in fact, Health Minister Nielsen should now make a public pronouncement that Dr. Morgentaler is not welcome and his services are not wanted in B.C.”
Arla Rendle, of Victoria, President of The Pro Life Society of B.C>, whose members helped gather signatures, definitely feels that Morgentaler would be walking into hostile territory in B.C. “What support he has is coming from a small but very noisy group. We’re finding that as more people become informed about the real facts of abortion, they’re coming to the realization that it’s wrong. B.C. has further to go than the rest of Canada to turn things around but it’s happening.”
While the community seems to be gradually changing its mind on the abortion issue, some hospitals in the province continue to do abortions at an alarming rate. “I wonder how anyone could claim B.C. needs a clinic when our abortion rate is twice the national average to begin with,” said Rendle. “The sad fact is that abortions are readily available to women in B.C. now, with virtual abortion on demand, I don’t know what the pro abortionists have to scream about.”
Vancouver Right To Life Society President, Betty Green, agrees. “Even the most avid pro pro-abortionist could not justify another abortion facility unless their intent is to have no children born in this province.” She feels that the government should do more than just discourage Morgentaler or anyone else who wants to operate a clinic in B.C. “Our Health Minister has done little to bring some B.C. hospitals into line on their abortion practice. For example, Lions Gate Hospital performs abortions three times the national average, an indication that the provisions in law are clearly being abused. It’s time that Jim Nielsen showed that he’s serious when he says he respects life.”
“This government, and the Health Ministry under Nielsen have continually ignored their responsibility under the criminal code to see that the law is applied as it was intended. Maybe the 50,000 signatures on this petition will encourage him to act,” Green concluded.