The funding was communicated privately by telephone to the four Toronto independent abortuaries on June 13. It might never have been made public if it weren’t for the fact that Henry Morgentaler and CARAL (Canadian Abortion Rights Action League) decided to honour, with a press conference on June 18, what they thought was “a historic occasion.”
Ontario then learned that the NDP government is underwriting each clinic’s operating costs at a minimum of $300 to $1,000). This is in addition to the actual fee for the abortion itself, which is covered by OHIP at $105 per woman. The four Toronto abortuaries are in the Morgentaler clinic, the Scott clinic, the Choice and Life Clinic and the Cabbagetown Woman’s Clinic.
Needless to say, Morgentaler applauded the NDP decision. He immediately announced preparations for opening abortuaries in Ottawa, Sudbury and Thunder Bay.
The Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal expressed its support for “such a clinic.” Stated the June 26 editorial: ‘The need for a clinic must be judged separately, not on whether abortion itself is desirable. Without question, the clinic will provide better services to women in the city and the region…”
Another reason the paper gave for supporting Morgentaler is “that many local women opt for th eWomen’s Health Clinic in Duluth.”
As far as NDP Health Minister Francs Lankin is concerned, ministry officials are preparing a “concrete plan” to expand abortion facilities throughout the province. In 1990 there were 10,000 clinic abortions in Ontario, and 33,000 in hospitals (or so the public is told).
When two years ago pro-abortion Liberal Minister Elinor Caplan piloted the Health Facilities Act through the Ontario Legislature, she claimed that th eAct would prevent the spreading of independent abortuaries. At the time Morgentaler submitted a brief opposing the new Act on the grounds that it established government control over clinics which may be favourable or unfavourable as the circumstances provide.
Today he and his fellow private-enterprise abortionists are reaping enormous financial benefits, paid for by the taxpayers. Meanwhile, of the existing political parties, only the Family Coalition Party of Ontario (FCP) rejects abortion and is committed to cutting all provincial funding for it.
Health Minister Lankin also announced an extra $3 million in 1991-1992 to help northern Ontarians travel to obtain medical care. This grant also covers travel costs for pregnant women traveling to abortuaries, whether in hospitals or freestanding, as in Toronto.
Until now, only people accompanying patients under the age of 18 could apply for these grants.
