In January, Campaign Life organizer Earl Amyotte, in an interview with the Windsor Star stated that “…Windsor Western Hospital wouldn’t get a dime from any Catholic” for their $11.5 million chronic-care fund-raising because of the abortions performed there. Mr. Amyotte and a group of pro-lifers have protested at the hospital for the last two years on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the days when abortions are performed.
In an attempt to appease the persistent protesters, the hospital board implemented some restrictions on the abortions performed at the hospital. This caused three of the five doctors on the therapeutic abortion committee to resign in protest. They instigated a one-day protest by the local pro-abortion group. Meanwhile, the number of abortions at Windsor Western has not diminished.
On January 20, Kenneth Dandie, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors denied that the rules had been changed while sources inside the hospital insisted that they had. On Thursday January 23rd, the pro-abortion group WRAC (Windsor Association for Reproductive Choice) picketed the Windsor Western because “…it is not providing a good service.” Two of the three doctors who resigned reversed their resignations in less than a week, one of them saying, “I thought I would be doing more good if I stayed on the committee.”
A revealing comment about the new TAC requirements came from Ontario Health Minister Murray Elston a few weeks later, on Friday February 7. Noting the changes to the abortion approval process at Windsor Western, he declared that, “in terms of the Criminal Code that’s sort of a minimum standard. I hope everyone acts considerably above that.”
Sources have reported that the new rules only mean that women must now have two letters of referral instead of one and they must be from only those doctors who are “active” members of the hospital staff. This gives the appearance that the hospital is inaccessible to many of the women in Essex County as most doctors are merely “courtesy” members of the hospital staff with reduced privileges.
One pro-abortion doctor said the new rules would delay the approval of abortions while preventing some altogether.
However, there is no proof of that and according to Mr. Amyotte, when it comes to abortions it is still “business as usual” at Windsor Western.
Amyotte added, “We’ve protested at the hospital very Tuesday and Thursday for the past two years and would be hard-pressed to contribute money to the hospital’s fund-raising campaigns.” We’re not holding them ransom,” he said, “we just can’t contribute to a hospital that murders little babies.
Something fishy
In an effort to make abortions even more accessible at Windsor Western Hospital, Tory environment critic, Susan Fish, began a complaint in the legislature on Friday, February 7, with the comment that Earl Amyotte of Campaign Life claimed to know the times and numbers of abortions at Windsor Western. Fish said that Amyotte should have “absolutely no access,” to health records.
Health Minister Murray Elston said that he would report back to the legislature after he found out what information was released and how it got out. Mr. Amyotte has telephoned the Minister’s office on two occasions since, and, being unable to speak with the minister, informed his aids that should the ministry wish to speak with him on the matter, he would make himself available at any time. He left his work and his home phone numbers. As we go to press Mr. Amyotte had not been contacted by the Minister of Health.
Sources have reported that on the days that Windsor Western does abortions (Tuesdays and Thursdays) there are usually five to six abortions performed. For example on January 6, a reliable source reports there were five abortions performed; on January 9, five; on January 27, six; on January 30, five.
Four of the usual five-member therapeutic abortion committee at Windsor Western includes Dr Garry Ing, Dr. Walter Wren, Dr. D. Sijan and Dr. Paul W. Shum, none of whom do abortions.
Windsor Western relies on one abortionist, Dr. A.R. Handscomb. He does all the abortions.
