December 10, 2001

Campaign Life Coalition responds to Commons Health Committee recommendations on embryo research

The Commons Health Committee will recommend the use of human beings not yet born for scientific research. It seems the Liberal majority members of the committee will use their numbers to push through this odious proposal from Health Minister Allan Rock.

"According to a news story, the committee will recommend allowing licensed scientists, with the consent of the 'owners' to use 'leftover' human embryos. Children are not owned by their parents. They are not chattel. They are creatures endowed with inalienable, inherent dignity which must be respected to the utmost," says Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition. The committee's recommendations return our country to an era of human slavery where defenseless babies become a commodity to be used or killed as their parents see fit," he continues.

Mr. Hughes states, "The Judges at Nuremberg assured the shocked world that the horrifying experiments carried out by the Nazis would never be repeated. Canada now proposes to use human babies as fodder for experimentation."

Campaign Life Coalition applauds the recommendations calling for a ban on cloning and commercial surrogacies. We are in favour of stem cell research which utilizes adult stem cells. This research is viable and does not kill a human being to obtain the cells.

CLC also praises the MPs who object to the use of human beings for research and encourage them to continue to speak out on behalf of those whose lives are at stake.

Media Contacts:

Mary Ellen Douglas
CLC National Organizer
Tel: (613) 389-4472

Karen Murawsky
Director, CLC Public Affairs Office
Tel: (613) 829-3328

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