Cardinal Marc Oulellet
On May 26, Quebec City Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Primate of Canada, said in a press conference jointly hosted with Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, that “the abortion debate is on and we must not be afraid of it.”
The press conference came less than two weeks after hostile reaction from the Quebec media and feminist groups over the Cardinal’s comments at a pro-life conference hosted by Campagne Quebec Vie on May 15 in which the Catholic leader reiterated the Catholic Church’s teaching against abortion calling it a “moral crime” in all cases, including rape. The CBC reported before the press conference that the Cardinal would clarify his comments on rape and abortion, going so far as to indicate that he might apologize for them.
Instead, the cardinal and the archbishop challenged society to not be afraid of debate on the issue of abortion, urged the government to privilege life and help mothers, and called the nation to halve the number of abortions.
Cardinal Ouellet did offer further explanation of his comments on rape and abortion. “From the outset, I want to emphasize that my comment in defense of the innocent child, even in cases of rape, was motivated by the desire to call to mind the dignity of women in all circumstances, and the respect due to all new human life,” he said.
But he was far from apologetic for the comments, nor did he retreat on abortion in general. Cardinal Ouellet condemned Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s refusal to discuss abortion, insisting that “there is debate, and there must be debate.” He condemned elected officials “who do not appear willing to face up to the injustice our country condones in offering no legal protection for a child in its mother’s womb.”
Saying that there was a “political and legal impasse,” the Catholic leaders called for an “awareness campaign and more programs providing assistance for women in distress in Canada.” Cardinal Ouellet insisted that, “It is vital that more effective aid programs for women facing a difficult pregnancy be implemented at every level, governmental, medical and social, so that the largest possible number may avoid abortion.” Archbishop Prendergast said that he and Ouellet are asking “governmental agencies [to] take on their proper role in affording help for pregnant women in distress – and others affected by new life in the womb – to reduce the extraordinarily high number of abortions in our country.”
Cardinal Ouellet said that if the three levels of government provided pregnant women with support so they would not choose abortion, “We could reduce the number (of abortions) by half if only women in distress … were welcomed, informed and accompanied with solidarity and compassion in their choice.” He also touted Belgium’s law limiting late-term abortions as a possible model for Canada because the European country’s abortion rate was proportionately much smaller than Canada’s.
Cardinal Ouellet appealed to the conscience of his fellow Canadians “so that together we may one day call for a change in this unjust situation in our country – the current legal void in abortion matters.” He said, “Let us not fear this debate that will shape the future of our nation.”
Archbishop Prendergast said “It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop,” adding: “There can be no true peace unless life is defended and promoted.”
In unusually harsh comments, Cardinal Ouellet said that because Canada permits abortion, the country has lost the right to promote human rights. “We have no lessons to offer to anyone in this field,” he said.
Both Cardinal Ouellet and Archbishop Prendergast praised Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his maternal health initiative, but called upon him to consider defunding abortion in Canada just as he has refused to fund abortion as part of his maternal health program for the developing world.
Pro-abortion groups condemned the Catholic archbishops. Ainsley Jenicek of the Quebec Federation for Planned Parenthood told the CBC that they must “remember these are really difficult choices and he is not helping anyone.”
