Policy: Ontario doctors must partake in abortion, euthanasia
On March 6th, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) voted 21 to 3 to pass a policy that could force doctors to choose between participating in procedures they consider to be immoral, or being stripped of their medical license. The new Professional Obligations and Human Rights policy will impose disciplinary measures upon physicians who refuse to participate in procedures they deem to be immoral, unethical or even unhealthy.
After a consultation process in which the overwhelming majority of Ontarians told the CPSO that they are opposed to compelling doctors to violate their own conscience or religious beliefs, the regulatory body for Ontario's physicians decided to ignore the consultation feedback and pass the totalitarian draft policy.
This policy will compel doctors who believe abortion is a form of homicide, to participate in the killing of preborn children, albeit less directly, by giving the patient a referral to another "non-objecting" physician. The CPSO argued that is a reasonable compromise between the conscience rights of physicians and the rights of patients. The violation of a doctors' conscience must be given higher priority over a patient's inconvience.
This will also apply to prescriptions for artificial birth control which some doctors, especially those of the Catholic faith, consider to be immoral. If euthanasia/assisted suicide becomes the law of the land as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling, conscientious physicians will also be required to refer patients to another doctor who will commit (or help commit) those forms of legal homicide.
To make matters worse, the policy contains language which can be interpreted as requiring pro-life doctors to conduct the procedure, or give a prescription, in situations where the patient may claim undue "suffering" from the delay caused by having to wait to see a different doctor.
This policy is one more step towards the total unraveling of freedom and democracy in Canada. We pray that this grave harm can be undone through future legislative action, or some legal action or civil disobedience by doctors themselves. It is appalling that 21 individuals on the CPSO committee believe they have the right to obliterate religious freedom for the more than 27,000 doctors across Ontario, not to mention the impact it will have on nurses and other healthcare professionals. If it seems unjust, that's because it is.