Under pressure from advocates for the mentally retarded, Quebec has agreed to amend legislation that should have allowed removal of organs from healthy mentally retarded people, and children under 14, without their consent.  This morally reprehensible legislation had already been passed by the National Assembly and only needed proclamation to become law when protests of outraged groups finally reached the government late in January of this year.

The legislation was passed under Justice Minister Herbert Marx who resigned because of the language issue.  Anne Lebel, assistant to the current Justice Minister Gil Remaillard indicated to the Globe and Mail (January 25, 1989), that the legislation will be amended to require that a mentally retarded person understand the consequences of having an organ removed and consent to the procedure.  But Miss Lebel could not say how doctors or the courts would determine whether a potential donor who is retarded understands the risks involved.

Freezing human embryos

Canadian doctors are freezing embryos for future use regardless of moral considerations and ethics uncertainties.  Canadian Medical specialists involved are Dr. Ian Tummon of University Hospital in London, Ontario; Dr. Dam Bararseh chief of obstetrics at Toronto East General Hospital and the hospital’s Dr. Murray Kroach; as well as Dr. Hannah Balakier, director of the in vitro fertilization laboratory at Toronto General (Globe, Jan. 20, 1980).

The “uncertainties” of freezing embryos include lack of answers to questions about who owns the embryos if a couple were to divorce or a partner were to die, and how long to “keep” them.  Worst of all, embryos, this is human beings, are “destroyed” without blinking an eye according to the now well-established abortion mentality.

Egg bank

Hamilton, Ontario – Chedoke-McMaster Hospital in Hamilton has set up an “egg bank,” the first female equivalent of a sperm bank, in the hope that women with surplus ova will donate them to women unable to conceive.  As is the case with most medical personnel involved with in vitro fertilization, doctors here believe that whatever is technologically possible should be done. Moral considerations play no role in their thinking.

Until now, people generally know who their others are.  The anonymous egg donation program will allow no such knowledge.  Moreover, the procedure is completely separate from and outside the marriage act, making it a matter of mechanical technological breeding only.

Donors and patients at Chedoke-McMaster in vitro fertilization clinic which is under the direction of Dr. Sallim Daya.  Dr. Daya is disappointed that only 10 per cent of women at the clinic have consented to donate their extra eggs. (Globe, Feb. 1, 1989).

In Ontario in vitro fertilization clinics are fully funded by a government which also fully funds hospital abortions.  This is not as strange as it may appear at first sight.  In both cases it reflects a complete indifference to moral inhibitions.

Canadian artists fined for fetus – skull earrings

London – Vancouver sculptor Rick Gibson and London gallery owner Peter Sylveire were fined $500, – and $300 respectively on February 9, 1989, by a judge of the Old Bailey, London’s main criminal court, for outraging public decency by exhibiting earrings made from skulls of aborted babies.

The two men displayed the earrings in December 1987 at a private viewing at Sylviere’s gallery.  Sylveire’s lawyer said they had wanted “to make a deeply moral comment on society’s treatment of fetuses and exploitation of animals.”

The judge told the jury their duty was to set standards of public decency.

RU-486

Auckland, N.Z. – New Zealand Health Minister David Caygill supports making the French killer drug RU-486 available to New Zealand women.  The same minister also intends to abolish the 16 year age limit on advising youngsters under the country’s contraception, sterilization and abortion act.

Seniors Housing Available

Loyola Arrupe, a Catholic Corporation, is building a senior citizens residence and chronic health care unit off High Park, next to Keele Street subway station, near St. Joan of Arc Parish, Toronto, Ontario.  Arrupe accepts applications now.