June Rowlands, chairman of the Metro Toronto Board of Police Commissions is in a direct case of conflict of interest, says Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) president Jim Hughes.
CLC issued a press release in early February pointing out that Rowlands presided over the December 9, 1988, appeal of Constable David Packer while at the same time being involved in the promotion of a new government-funded women’s abortion-so-called “health” centre in downtown Toronto.
David Packer is the Toronto constable fired from the police force on January 27, 1988 for refusing to guard the Morgentaler abortion ‘clinic.’
Toronto Star article (January 25), identified June Rowlands as part of a group of “high-profile” professionals urging Ontario to spend $2.3 million on a woman’s health centre that would offer abortions among a wide range of services. Others in the group are lawyer Barbara Jackman, Liberal party pollster Martin Goldfarb, and businesswoman Jane Hill.
To a Globe and Mail reporter, Rowlands denied she was “part” of the group. She had met twice with them, she said, while still an alderman. The Star stood by its story, and directed CLC’s spokesman Stephen Jalsevac to confirm it with Rowlands herself.
Despite this blatant conflict of interest none of the three Toronto dailies printed the story. One week earlier, all three Toronto dailies had given full coverage to the demand of a few people that Rowlands resign for allegedly making racist remarks.
