In talking about abortion, it is important to distinguish a person’s position on the morality of abortion from a person’s position on whether the state should criminalize abortion. A person who feels that there is nothing wrong with abortion is clearly taking a position contrary to the position of the Catholic Church. But it is a separate question whether abortions should be criminalized.

Many canon lawyers and moralists believe that a politician could be against abortions and still oppose criminalizing it for prudential reasons, for example, because he believes such laws would be unenforceable, divisive and politically unrealistic. He may believe that a more realistic approach is to enact programs (healthcare, childcare, welfare, employment) that will reduce the number of abortions by giving women a real choice, by empowering them to say yes to life. These politicians point to the fact that there were fewer abortions during the Clinton Administration than during the Bush Administration. Raising the minimum wage, for example, would reduce more abortions than outlawing partial birth abortions. Such a politician could say, “I am opposed to abortion and will do everything possible to reduce the number of abortions short of putting women and doctors in jail.”

So far, the vast majority of the U.S. Catholic bishops oppose denying Communion to pro-choice Catholic politicians and voters. During the 2004 presidential election, only about 10 to 12 bishops of the approximately 190 diocesan bishops spoke out in favor of denying Communion. When the bishops meet in Baltimore this November, the question of denying Communion to pro-choice politicians will once again be debated when they vote on a new statement on “Faithful Citizenship.” - Thomas J. Reese Georgetown University

via: Melissa Rogers

Garth Turner has some footage of the the March for Life held May 10th in Ottawa. He has some video, and perhaps it is just me, but in the approximately 3 thousand participants, the Catholic contingent appears dominant, (Catholics look at human reproduction from a natural law perspective) from fully costumed Knights of Columbus to uniformed Catholic High School students in full voice, waving banners.  

Abortion is low on the list of Canadian citizens priorities: “In a Gallup Canada poll taken April 2005, 52% of respondents say they would like to see Canadian abortion laws “remain the same,” 20% say they would like the laws to be “less strict,” while 24% say they would like the laws to be “more strict.”

Another dominant visual in the March for Life is the Canada logo, which is owned by the Canadian government (National Identity Standards)  This has led to people honestly asking if this was a federally funded march.
Word is no tax payer funds are used.

14 MP’s were on stage - here is the breakdown as reported by McLean’s

Conservatives
Bev Shipley (ON)
Cheryl Gallant (ON)
David Anderson (SK)
Dean Del Mastro (ON)
Harold Albrecht (ON)
James Lunney (BC)
Jeff Watson (ON)
Mark Warawa (BC)
Maurice Vellacott (SK)
Myron Thompson (AB)
Pierre Lemieux (ON)
Rod Bruinooge (MB)

Liberals
Paul Steckle (ON)
Paul Szabo (ON)

NDP
None

Bloc Quebecois
None

Anti abortionists and pro choice politicians are present all parties except NDP and The Bloq.  Distribution of both political positions is the only way Canada’s policies are going to remain balanced.

A few stats from Jackie Chan’s Left Hand:

1926 to 1947: 4,000 to 6,000 Canadian women die as a result of bungled illegal abortions.

1967: A federal committee considers amendments to the Criminal Code on abortion. The committee hears from many groups and individuals on both sides of the issue, including Dr. Henry Morgentaler, who urges repeal of the abortion law and freedom of choice on abortion. Around this time, an estimated 35,000 to 120,000 illegal abortions are taking place every year.

1988: On January 28, the Supreme Court of Canada strikes down Canada’s abortion law as unconstitutional. The law is found to violate section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms because it infringes upon a woman’s right to life, liberty, and security of the person.

Stats Can: The number of abortions in Canada continue to fall.

Turners discussion over the use of the Canadian Identity logo get a bit lost in the post comments.  He does make a reasonable point. If Canadians see elected and ruling Conservative MP’s on stage, and the Canadian logo front and centre, it’s reasonable they will assume this march is funded by the federal government.

With the recent Supreme Court ruling in the US, Talk2Action looks at the judges reasoning - women centric, less fetal centric, based on Catholic natural law and according to the writer a step forward into the future ruled by a mostly Catholic Supreme Court by going 100 years back into the past.

Each generation cycles though national social and economic issues through their own lens, experience, needs and beliefs the same as prior generations, as citizens come to understand their viewpoints are about their future and their past.

Abortion in Canada - wiki

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