Alberta abortion entrepreneur Theodore Busheikin, apparently not satisfied with traveling some 300 km every week to Edmonton to ply his grisly trade there, plans to open an abortion mill in his hometown of Calgary as soon as possible.  But the abortionist is meeting opposition at every turn.

The Hillhurst community (in Calgary) erupted with anger when the site of his future ‘clinic’ was discovered too late to launch any development appeals.

With support from a community league, Calgary Campaign Life Coalition President Mike O’Malley petitioned the courts to re-open the proceedings, pointing out that both the city and the abortuary staff took pains to keep the location and purpose of the facility a secret.

Judge O’Byrne

Justice Michael O’Byrne of the Court of Queen’s Bench didn’t see it that way, however. This impelled Mr. O’Malley to point out to the court that the judge was “unjust” and “either pro-abortion or a member of the ‘old boys’ network.”

A subsequent application to the court of appeal was also dismissed, although without attendant verbal combat.

While pro-lifers were stonewalled by the courts, Bushelkin’s plans hit unexpected snags.

Calgary landscaper Gerry Neustaedter, after discovering the modest one-story office whose lawns he had planted was in fact a future abortuary, promptly returned with his crew and dug up his handiwork, not mourning the lost wages.

Mr. Neustaedter was quoted in the weekly newsmagazine, Alberta Report, as saying, “We wouldn’t sell guns to Libya, we wouldn’t take a contract to paint Auschwitz, and we wouldn’t landscape an abortion clinic.”

And according to the Calgary Herald, Howard MacLean of Cantest Limited refused to inspect gas lines at the mill, forcing the staff to bring in another inspector from Edmonton.

Mr. MacLean could not be reached for comment.

Bushelkin is also currently facing a law suit by a former client, Gitanjali Varma, who claims her uterus was perforated during an abortion and that she subsequently suffered an infection which resulted in a forced hysterectomy.

Edmonton abortuary

Meanwhile, in Edmonton, a blanket injunction prohibiting all pro-life activity around the Morgentaler abortion mill was granted following a November 12 Operation Rescue in which 14 people took part.

During the rescue, security guards applied excessive force in removing rescuers, who blocked cars and sat against the front and back doors in a valiant attempt to prevent abortions.  Eighteen guards were called in and pulled, dragged and pushed rescuers, at one point kicking Luke Laurence in the arm, and yanking the arm of 16-year-old Kim Manweiler behind her back.

Mike O’Malley of Calgary was also thrown about and sustained a mild head injury.  Police Chief Doug McNally later disclosed to the Edmonton Journal that his officers had intentionally not intervened so that the court would be compelled to grant a tough injunction.

Jim Demers

Interest in the injunction prompted pro-life activist Jim Demers of Nelson, B.C. to travel to Edmonton and challenge the order in court, using a well researched case built on international law.

However, Justice Yaroslav Roslak of the Court of queen’s Bench refused to hear the case, citing lack of time and technical flaws in the application.

Mr. Demers then explained to the court he had no recourse but to go to the ‘clinic’ the following day, since he knew there would be killing.  Arrested early the next morning, Mr. Demers was held in custody nine days before his hearing, having refused to sign an undertaking to abide by the terms of the injunction.  When the case finally resumed December 5, once again before Justice Roslak, Mr. Demers was found guilty of civil contempt of court, with time served considered adequate “punishment.”