January 5, 2001
Alan Rock's hypocrisy on two-tier medicine

Campaign Life Coalition today condemned Allan Rock's hypocrisy on two-tier medicine. "Mr. Rock is pressuring Alberta to shut down private MRI clinics, while trying to force New Brunswick to support private abortion clinics," said CLC national organizer Mary Ellen Douglas.

Mrs. Douglas said that if Mr. Rock wants to be consistent with his threats to Alberta, "New Brunswick should be refused transfer payments if Henry Morgentaler's private clinic in Fredericton is not closed."

CLC's position is that the Canada Health Act cannot be used to pressure provinces to fund abortions, wherever they are carried out, because the Act requires only that medically necessary services be publicly funded, and abortion is never medically necessary.

CLC New Brunswick president Peter Ryan said, "Abortion is a tragic choice, but not a medical necessity. There is no justification for forcing taxpayers to cover elective choices carried out at private clinics. Ultimately, it is an act of collective suicide for a province to fund the demise of its own children."

For more information, call Mary Ellen Douglas, at (613) 389-4472, or Peter Ryan, at (506) 459-8990, or Tanya Granic, national director of CLC Youth, at (416) 204-9749.

Campaign Life Coalition is Canada's national pro-life organization.