It becomes clearer by the month that “pro-life” Canadians, i.e, all those who reject abortion as an abomination, are in process of being disenfranchised. That is to say, they no longer can find a political party which even promises – let alone is actually prepared –
to act in defense of the unborn.
Canada has had legal abortions for sixteen years. When the bill which legalized killing the unborn was discussed in parliament, only one party opposed it in principle. This party, the Creditistes from Quebec, disappeared from the Canadian political scene some years later. Since that time the general situation has worsened.
The report on the Ontario election in last month’s issue makes it clear once more – if such proof were still needed – that political leaders are as confused or confusing, as ever. Only the NDP stand is absolutely clear: it fully accepts and endorses the supposed right of every woman to have an abortion. The leaders of the other two parties continue to grope in a foggy mist. However, while not prepared to have total freedom in the absolute sense of the word, they come as near such freedom as they politically dare.
The Halifax visit by Henry Morgentaler (see May Interim) shows that there is still one provincial premier in the country who dares say out loud that he favours tightening the existing law. To our knowledge, Premier Buchanan is the only one. He is not supported by his PC colleague, the Prime Minister of Canada, who is on record as saying he favours widening accessibility to abortions.
Is it worthwhile to give the federal PC party another year or so to see what it will do? Some years ago, when it was suggested that a new political – both pro-life and pro-family – was needed, the prevailing mood was, let’s see what the Tories will do when they assume power. So far they haven’t done anything. On the contrary, it appears that they are willing to adopt many of the anti-family policies of the previous government.
Has the time come, then, to create a new party, one which favors protecting the dignity of the human person in all respects? Or should the thrust be towards a firmer political movement, not a party, which will force individual politicians to change the approach of their parties from within?
