“An embarrassing situation” for Manitoba Premier Howard Pawley and his NDP government was “averted” during a four day Ottawa NDP convention at the end of June when a motion to censure him for “prosecuting Henry Morgentaler” failed to reach the convention floor, according to the Toronto Star of July 1, 1985. The report did not indicate why it would have been “embarrassing.” The Manitoba party, like its National counterpart, is fully committed to abortion on demand. It cannot achieve this because the law restricts its actions.
Toronto. Ontario Liberal Premier David Peterson announced on July 9 that he could not keep his election promise to obtain an injunction against the Morgentaler abortuary because the case against the doctor is still before the courts. The announcement came as a reply to a question in the Legislature from a member of the PC party which, when it formed the government earlier, also refused to close the abortuary.
The new Premier further indicated that he would seek a way to improve access to legal abortion in Ontario hospitals (see editorial).
******
Montreal. On July 21, Henry Morgentaler made another stab at establishing a Maritime abortuary by announcing his latest application with the Nova Scotia government. The latter has let it be known that it is not interested (Halifax Chronical Herald, July 23).
Two weeks later, the Toronto Globe and Mail (Aug 7) reported that Willke Kushner, the chairmen of the TAC at Victoria Hospital, Halifax, had written Morgentaler asking him to stay away. Kushner fears that Morgentaler’s crusade will raise the awareness of Maritimers about the activities at the hospital. Victoria does the bulk of the abortions in Nova Scotia. “There is nothing to be gained by his coming,” the Globe quoted Kushner as saying, “and a lot of innocent people may get hurt.” Kushner did not explain whom he had in mind though perhaps he fears a decrease in a profitable line of work.
Winnipeg. By early August, Morgentaler apparently felt it was time something happened on the Western front also. Thus on August 2 he informed the nation from his Montreal home that he was calling “the bluff” of the Manitoba College of Physicians and Surgeons by once more applying for approval of the abortuary as a non-hospital surgical facility. According to the Canadian Press, Morgentaler’s Winnipeg lawyer Greg Brodsky feels Morgentaler stands a good chance to win.
