Canadian Bishops speak out about reproductive rights

His Eminence, Thomas C. Collins
Archbishop of Toronto

To mark this year's observance of International Women's Day (March 8, 2017), Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau announced plans for the Federal Government to spend $650 million on reproductive rights around the world.

Two days later, His Eminence, Thomas C. Collins, Archbishop of Toronto sent a letter to the Prime Minister in which he reminded the Federal leader that we have no rights at all unless we are afforded the right to life. That decision was made for you and for each one of us by a woman, determined and committed to bring a new life into this world (Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada about sexual and reproductive health programs, March 10, 2017).

His Excellency, Douglas Crosby
Bishop of Hamilton and President of the CCCB

Concerns about the federal government's funding and its support for access to abortion have also been raised by the President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton.  In his letter addressed to the Prime Minister, also dated March 10, 2017, Bishop Crosby referred to the government's policy as a reprehensible example of Western cultural imperialism and an attempt to impose misplaced but so-called Canadian 'values' on other nations and people.  His Excellency goes on to say that this new initiative exploits women when they are most in need of care and support, and tragically subverts true prenatal health care. It negates our country's laudable efforts to welcome refugees and offer protection to the world's homeless, when the youngest of human lives will instead be exterminated and the most vulnerable of human beings discarded as unwanted human tissue.