Ottawa. A pretty downtown section of Ottawa will never be the same – Henry Morgentaler has moved into the neighbourhood.

Bank and Sparks Streets, a popular Ottawa tourist spot replete with boutiques, restaurants and cafes, now has its own Morgentaler franchise.

On October 13, in a move which surprised few, Morgentaler and the government of Ontario announced the site of his new “clinic.”

Campaign Life Coalition Ottawa has suspected the location for some time but the building’s landlord would neither confirm nor deny the site.  Despite the lack of confirmation, CLC ha contacted the Sparks St. Business Improvement Area asking them to block the abortuary’s opening but to no avail.

“One has to wonder how local merchants would have reacted if an individual or company were planning to open a sleazy strip-club, or on the other hand, something more noble such as a halfway house for psychiatric patients,” said CLC spokesperson Annette MacDonald in reaction to the failure of local business to act against Morgentaler.

She also noted the irony of the fact that the “clinic” is located just down the street from a MacDonald’s restaurant.  “Without kids, MacDonald’s wouldn’t be in business.”

An ad hoc group calling themselves Citizens Coalition for the Preservation of the Sparks St. Mall, gathered over 1,000 names opposing Morgentaler’s use of the site.

CLC and Alliance for Life have organized a world-wide boycott of the Sparks St. Mall, telling their pro-life colleagues to avoid the spot during trips to Ottawa.  The CLC office is now in the act of planning an effective protest strategy.

For their part, the government and Morgentaler were elated at the opening.  “Today is a great day for women’s health,” Attorney General Marion Boyd announced gleefully at the “clinic’s” opening.

Morgentaler described the location as “symbolic,” situated just two minutes from the Supreme Court of Canada building – the setting where he eventually helped overturn the abortion law.

He also said he will now turn his attention to the Third World where he hopes to further his lucrative abortion franchises.