It’s rather ironic that on the 30th Anniversary of the Charter we are still dealing with the mess left behind when the Supreme Court struck down existing abortion laws.
Now we have the sex-selection abortion conundrum to resolve. Should we interfere with immigrant women seeking an abortion due to gender preference?
Here we have the perfect storm of opposing rights:
- A woman’s unfettered right to choose vs. gender discrimination
- Western values vs. fundamental preference for boys among certain immigrant groups
But the proposed solution of withholding gender information does not sit well with Joyce Arthurs:
“People have the right to knowledge and they should be treated like responsible adults, and can decide for themselves what to do with information like that,” Joyce Arthur, executive director of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada said at the time.
“We’re pro-choice not because we love abortion, but because women have the right to decide what’s best for their own lives for their own reasons, and we don’t have to agree with those reasons.”
She acknowledged that “nobody likes sex-selective abortion,” but said that’s not a good enough reason to ban it, instead suggesting education and outreach.
Well at least that is logically consistent. To apply limits to any woman’s right to choose based on their ethnicity would seem to be racist. (Heather Mallick alert!!)
So while I don’t agree with abortion being used for gender selection, I fail to see how we have any right to dictate our values to others under the present legal (and moral) vacuum.
* * * *
Related
Jonathan Kay: How shocking new sex-selection data could finally lead us to a Canadian abortion law – NP
Don’t hold your breath.
Marni Soupcoff: Is wanting a male baby a ‘bad’ reason for an abortion? And if so, what’s a ‘good’ one? – NP
You don’t need a ‘reason’.
* * * *
Saturday Update
Excellent column by George Jonas – Baby, you haven’t come such a long way after all:
“Choicers” lose just by noticing the blessed fetus is a female. An extension isn’t a female. It’s a growth, a confidence between a woman and her gynacologist. But a female is a different story. A female isn’t a growth. Not a clump but a soul, she’s not in the realm of obstetrics but of morality. Medical waste has no sex; a female, born or unborn, obviously does.
Once it’s possible to object to the elimination of fetuses on the basis of their sex, it’s possible to object to their elimination, period. Suddenly they come to life. It’s as if they were born, and once they’re born, any decision about what to do with them is no longer a question of a woman controlling her own body, but a woman controlling someone else’s body. A body that’s in her temporary custody; a body she has a fiduciary duty to protect.
This debate seriously has made me speechless. When I googled it, up popped a few sites that promote it, like a one stop shop day at your local mall.
I guess we can’t count on the womens rights folks to see this as a form of abuse so is it possible to have our govt’s NOT FUND them or to limit the use of ultrasounds? How is it possible to weed through the abuse now that they have let the horse out of the barn because people would likely simply lie.
Not identifying a babies sex is likely the only way but for this to have been identified as an ethnic issue does offer up the question as to whether we should be putting a time frame on WHEN we provide free health care to our immigrants.
What next?
And yet the lefties reject the notion of a ‘slippery slope’.
Yes it is especially abhorrent to think about taxpayers funding these situations where women keep trying and aborting until they get the desired sex.
And then we are faced with the question, if these people can’t have their male babies, indeed give birth to a female, is that little girl at risk of a life of abuse?
The problem lies within the ideology and some type of prescreening must occur before this is even allowed to enter our medical facilities. Then we need to re-educate these people.
I can’t even imagine what it takes to think like this.
I think Bec correctly identified the root of the problem – the actual mind-set or attitude of those involved. That is what needs to be changed and it should also be part of the screening process when people apply to immigrate.
Good point. We are already starting to make immigrants aware that we don’t tolerant Honour Killings here. So perhaps we should also include sex-selective abortion in that discussion – even though it is technically legal.
live long enough and you see the slippery slope in all it’s glory. i have seen more than one. when society decides it is ok to kill unborn children it will not be long before we kill old people who sre in nursing homes. one group recently said they thought it should be ok to kill children after they were born. yep, wisdom is sorely lacking today.
The Charter is a magnet for people to come here and adhere to their practices protected under the freedoms and rights dictated in the Charter. Freedom of religion is one that covers their needs very well.
Female Feticide is an example of what happens when there are no rules in place to protect the unborn.
interesting statistics about Abortion in Canada
http://www.abortionincanada.ca/stats/annual_abortion_rates.html
Immigration rates would be reduced if we didn’t kill our own.
Canadian Government at work for all Canadians
http://www.open.gc.ca/index-eng.asp
And,what do we hear from the so-called msm on this? Mostly crickets! CBC this am is too giddy with the breaking news the US has made official ‘request’ of Canada to bring home their favorite kiddie-terrorist Khadr.
The ndp, libs and the bloc and the media are and must BE beside themselves with joy that the boy terrorist now a man is coming back into their bosom.
Remember the daily rants and chants for Omar Khadr in the HOC? It was sickening.
Minister Shea announcement on My Business Account
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=669469
great site
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bsnssnln/menu-eng.html
Minister Baird concludes visit to Germany
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=669429
Canadian Government action plan site Thank You Prime Minister Stephen Harper
http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/eng/index.asp
Yeah, great news for the CBC to trumpet, their pet Omie Khadr has been given clearance by the US to be shipped to Canada, his birthing home.
Now our government will be forced by the Court to allow him to return to his terrorist loving family and freely roam our streets.
A Washington state fertility clinic is advertising sex selection in a ethnic Vancouver newspaper. The Vancouver Sun has the story today.
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/clinic+promotes+selection+Vancouver+area+Indo+Canadians/6477085/story.html
So sad. Apparently Canadian law prohibits sex selection in reproductive technology, but not abortion for the same purpose.
it is all about you guessed it MONEY
Joe Oliver
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/45/6148
Sorry to interrupt. How many of you Albertans received robocalls recently?
We received a call at 7:45pm last night (April 17th) phone 800-4743 Alberta Federation of Labor: two questions were asked, first press one if you support two-tiered health care for Alberta as promoted by Wildrose, or press two if you support full public health to protect nurses, doctors and support staff.
I selected option one, then the caller just hung up and did not allow any comments or discussion.
Very disingenuous. Sounds like Ontario.
O.K. This is disturbing. Via Stephen Taylor.
You think that’s disturbing, take a look at the one posted on this blog. I’d say that one is just as disturbing or even may more.
http://stevenbritton.com/2012/04/18/nastiest-campaign-ever-nazi-comparisons-fear-mongering-video-fear-mongering-robocall-election-prediction-abvote-wrp-pcaa/
I will be glad when this election is over. The nastiness is getting a little much for one to take.
the hitler movie take-off seems to be out now . . not linking to it . this is getting sickening .
Who’s behind all this?
Guess we have to ask who would expect to gain from this?
Sounds like an activist group.
BTW I will be super-busy today on the home-front. Will check the filters when I get a chance.
Carry on.
I watched both videos, the Hitler one is getting old, the other one just makes you want to shake your head.
Looked to me like a bunch of university types, they don’t get Alberta at all.
As for the “selective” abortion travesty.
Well if they were doing the same thing to puppies or baby seals there would be an outcry around the world.
Why we are forced to pay for abortions at all, a baby is not a disease.
Former PM Chretain asking why we weren’t “celebrating” the Charter of wrongs is further proof the Liberal mindset is incapable of input from ordinary Canadians.
In spite of the last minute pile on from the usual suspects the big blue wave will I think roll across Alberta.
The climate frauds and rent seekers are panicking, beer and popcorn monday!
Go Wildrose!
Off Topic and Heads Up-
The Lunch Bunch at 12:30 noon eastern on http://www.cfra.com today with Rob Snow, Brian Lilley, and Senator Mike Duffy.
Just heard that he mayor of Coutts, AB is telling seniors that if they don’t vote PC we will never get our lodge addition. Wonder when he had a talk with Ms Smith to get that info.
Hubby and I were #1 and #2 at the advance poll this morning. 9.05 a.m. And don’t forget to vote for the senators in waiting, 3 of them. If you don’t know who they are, their names are on the senate ballot along with their party affilication. There are 3 WRA candidates running.
Yeah Maryt, it was crowded on the first day at the ADV.Poll, most of them were seniors, some waited way over an hr but, hey they talked laughed amongst themselves while they waited.
I guess the DRO and Poll Clerk weren’t expecting too many on the first day.
Since the Oppos have been all atwitter about the Conservatives “building new prisons” wonder how they’ll be able to handle the closing of the ancient Kingston Pen and another in Quebec and transferring the guests of the state to other facilities?
another hard working day for Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird
Canada is proud of our Canadian Government
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=670159
Good job Canada
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=670059
I would really like to see media report this story
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=670009
How about some photos of Peter and John at NATO BRUSSELS.
Forgot to add the website fh.
http://www.daylife.com/search?q=NATO+BRUSSELS%2C++CANADA
great pictures Jen Thanks
this is good news
what next? preserve the building what building you ask?
the prison building taxpayers beware