An Indignity to the Order of Canada

When I heard that the Toronto Globe and Mail was polling Canadians on their support for Dr. Henry Morgantaler receiving the Order of Canada, I was aghast. Only in Canada, I thought. This gave new meaning to the title of this column, Oh! Canada! What on earth was the editor thinking?

In Morgantaler’s defense, Clayton Ruby, a prominent civil rights and constitutional lawyer, said, “There are a lot of deserving people who don’t have the Order of Canada. But among them Henry stands out like a giant. It’s a monumental absence” (Neil McKenty weblog).

Heather Mallick hailed Morgantaler as a “prophet without honor” in his own country. Cathie Colombo, Henry Morgentaler’s long-time assistant, said, “It’s blasphemy that this hasn’t happened, a national embarrassment,” (whatisthemessage blogspot).

Whoa – or should it be “woe!” Just a moment here! Are you listening to the rhetoric here? Morgantaler a giant – excuse me, in whose eyes? His being overlooked must be considered a monumental absence? Hold on – let me pull out a Kleenex. A “prophet without honor” – come on, now he’s like Jesus?

This is “blasphemy” – they continue to talk in terms devoted to talk about God alone. A national embarrassment? For whom? Many – 84% of poll respondents, felt it would be an embarrassment if he was awarded the honor.

Wikipedia describes the Order of Canada as Canada’s highest civilian honor within the Canadian system of honors, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Order’s Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means “(those) desiring a better country” (Hebrews 11:16).

It was created in 1967 to recognize lifetime contributions made by Canadians who made a major difference in Canada. This is the highest honor a Canadian citizen can be given, and cannot be awarded posthumously.

Let’s look at his credentials. In 1976, in testimony, he admitted to performing 7,000 abortions though it was illegal to do so. This occurred without regard to valid interviews, failing to gather a case history, failing to perform pregnancy or blood tests, failing to provide a pathological examination of the tissues removed or follow up on the state of patient health. He was charged, jailed and acquitted numerous times.

That first panel spoke of his “mercenary nature,” and stated that his behavior reflected an attitude “which was primarily directed to protecting his fees,” which, by the way, happened to be $11 million in 2002, and close to 20,000 abortions last year.

His nomination came at the 20 year anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision making abortions legal (1988). As a result, Canada now has no law restricting or regulating abortion. It is effectively legal throughout all nine months of pregnancy. What a travesty!

Morgantaler stated that Canada is now a “better, safer society.” Yes – for who? Him? His clinics? Do we really want to grant an award to a Canadian citizen who is responsible for hundreds of thousands less citizens in Canada? I wonder what these “aborted citizens” would say today if they were given a voice?

This award is inconsistent with one who has been described as Doctor Death. Though he may have freed Canadian women from the “burden of legislated brood mare status” (Chimera), as one blogger stated, “How low do we have to sink to receive the Order of Canada?”

The Father of Abortion changed Canadian law by breaking the law. He can break manmade laws – even constitutional laws – with little apparent consequence, but he cannot break God’s eternal law without having another day in Supreme Court before the Judge of all men.

The Bible says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isa 5:20).

Wake up Canada! Canadians, stand on guard!