At the press conference on June 7 in Toronto, where Morgantaler announced the opening date of his Toronto clinic, his supporters handed out “information kits” to the press.
One of the pieces of paper was a reprint of articles by Michele Landsberg in the Toronto Star and Laura Sabia in the Toronto Sun.
Landsberg’s article (November 4, 1982), opened: “Dr. Henry Morgantaler is not going to open an abortion clinic in Toronto. Nor, despite some exceedingly nasty rumors, is he scheming to make a fortune by setting up a chain of abortion clinics across the country.”
Sabia’s crystal ball (November 9, 1982), revealed, “He’s (Morgantaler) not starting abortion clinics in Ontario.” She goes on to say, “Dr Henry Morgantaler has not made a fortune from abortion as the rumor goes. He is not a rich man. He’s a caring, compassionate friend to women.”
Both writers carefully explained that it was a “group of pro-choice women” setting up the clinic in “God-fearing Toronto (Sabia). As we know, that clinic, supposedly nothing to do with Morgentaler anyway, did not open when the landlord discovered what was being proposed for his premises.
We now have the ludicrous spectacle of Morgantaler trying again – this time openly stating his involvement. He acknowledges that the house where the clinic will be was bought for $265,000 by his brother.
This is the man who “admits to performing more than 5,000 abortions” (Toronto Star, November 19, 1982). He estimates that in Toronto he will be performing abortions at $250 each, at the rate of 40 to 50 a week. Simple mathematics shows this to be an income of $10,000 to $12,500 a week.
We know Morgantaler does not spare any expense when performing his operations. The Interim, in April 1983, detailed his earlier practice of multiple uses of non-reusable and non-sterile instruments.
Sabia and Landsberg have more to say than that quoted. However, none of it is new and we’ll hear it all again.
The pro-abortion supporters have egg on their faces. Landsberg and Sabia can always be relied on to support their crusade and it appears that they didn’t bother to actually read what the two columnists said before they reprinted for this occasion.
Surely we are not gullible enough to believe that “Morgantaler’s name became linked with the clinic because the women, afraid of harassment, have been leaning on his moral support, advice and public persona. In truth, he is nothing more than a generous champion of their cause.”
