Leading editorials
On November 4—the day the Mulroney government brought in its abortion bill—the leading dailies in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto published their editorials. None of these dailies are pro-life. Two of them, the Ottawa Citizen and the Toronto, Star are committed to radical feminism and the absolute right of a woman to kill her own child.
Summaries
Ottawa Citizen. Nothing at all has been done to ensure equality of access. Unless this deficiency is corrected in committee, the bill should be defeated. This bill is a cynical political compromise.
Toronto Star. The new abortion bill is an appalling cop-out. (1) It denies a woman’s basic right to end a pregnancy by putting the issue back in the Criminal Code. (2) It does nothing to guarantee equal access.
Globe and Mail. Most Canadians will find the bill a “reasonable compromise.” Abortion remains a crime but “the exemptions are far wider than before” (under the old law). Access would be easier and quicker under this bill. It is likely to survive Supreme Court scrutiny.
Toronto Sun. The legislation reflects what most want. It doesn’t guarantee equal access, which is unfortunate. Lewis’ explanation that there could be criminal penalties for women or doctors under this legislation baffles us. Because no limits have been set on abortions, this country will have to endure another debate in years to come.
Le Devoir. It is a work of legislative astuteness. The text is short, clear and simple. But it hides the rule in the exception and makes the exception the overriding principle. It provides for abortion on demand and only criminalizes the charlatans (and abortion causing medicine). As it stands now the abortion battle will be moved on to the provinces. But do we want a law which doesn’t regulate its principle object and which doesn’t bring social peace?
La Presse. This law is a hypocritical hybrid: a pro-abortion law disguised as pro-life. Abortion is to be a crime but no abortion done by a doctor will be criminal. Under this “health” clause it is not possible to prosecute anyone. This is progress over the old law.
In the battle between the humanists and the militants this law is the best that can be done. Better to have this hypocritical law and get it passed than one which will get battered in the House of Commons.
The Gazette. Aside from the criticisms of the two-absolutist positions, the government is addressing only half of the complex abortion question: It has wholly ducked the rights of the fetus. [Most Canadians] want those rights defined and protected.
[Because of what the Supreme Court said in 1988] the best legal minds agree that the fetus does at some point deserve the protection of the law. This law is destined to be back in the courts. “If the legislators refuse to fulfill their responsibility the job is up to the courts.”
