News & Analysis

A group that supports the killing of preborn children has announced that it will sue the PEI government. The goal of the legal action is to force the government to commit abortions on the island.  

The newly incorporated activist group, Abortion Access Now P.E.I. (AACNP), claims that such a thing exists as a Charter right to kill children who are still in their mothers' wombs. That is a disingenuous claim given that there is no reference even vaguely similar to that, in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The abortion activists have given the PEI government 90 days notice that it will take it to court, unless the government begins setting up killing centres on the island. The group is likely hoping that the announcement and resultant media exposure, will bring to bear enough pressure upon the government that the Liberal Premier, Wade MacLachlan, will immediately set up abortuaries, without AACNP ever having to set foot in court.

Currently, PEI is the only remaining Canadian province where abortions are not committed.  Although you cannot have an abortionist kill your child in PEI, pregnant women who travel to a neighbouring province can still have the procedure funded by PEI taxpayers. The prize sought by AACNP is to force the government to set up taxpayer-funded killing centres on PEI soil, so that no woman is ever inconvenienced by having to travel to neighbouring provinces.

The pro-life movement has responded to the announcement, pointing out that provinces are not legally required by the Canada Health Act to fund medically unnecessary, elective procedures that represent a mere lifestyle choice.

“These abortion advocates are attempting to thwart provincial jurisdiction by asking the courts to force the province to provide abortions purely because of their brand of morality that sees abortion as socially desirable” said Alissa Golob, CLC spokesperson. “Abortion is not a disease or illness, and is not a medical necessity. Therefore this lawsuit has no merit and the Prince Edward Island government has every right not to provide abortion”.

“It’s detrimental to the province that a minority of activists are trying to force the government to acquiesce to their agenda, while access to life-affirming health care is still an issue” said Sarah MacDonald, provincial coordinator for CLC Youth PEI. “There is a great need in our province for medically necessary services, such as trauma care, cancer treatment, surgical care and more. Why aren’t these activists suing the government to increase access to these services?”

Premier Wade MacLachlan promised last year to "remove barriers" to abortion access, after Justin Trudeau made it an issue by promoting abortion while he was campaigning there during the federal election. Subsequently, MacLachlan changed the rules for PEI Medicare, dropping the long-time requirement that PEI women had to first get a referral from a local doctor, before being approved for taxpayer funding of abortions outside the province. Now, abortion is insured by the PEI healthcare system for any reason, or no reason at all.    

If the pro-abortion activists get their way, what will be the net impact on preborn children of setting up abortuaries in the province? It stands to reason that more PEI women will choose (or be coerced by boyfriends and relatives) to abort, for the simple reason that it will be more convenient. Thus, more preborn babies will die.

Given Premier MacLachlan's pro-abortion actions to date, it is reasonable to assume that he will go along with the demands of AACNP, unless the government gets inundated by residents demanding that the province continue its policy of not committing abortions on the island. The province's attorney general has responded through the media to say that it is studying the documents to be filed by the pro-abortionists.

 

TAKE THESE ACTIONS:

#1. PEI residents may sign our petition here.
#2. Express concerns to the Premier:	Mail Hon. Premier Wade MacLachlan Fifth Floor South Shaw Building 95 Rochford Street P.O. Box 2000, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8	Phone (902) 368-4400	Email   [email protected]
#3. Express concerns to the Health Minister:	Mail Hon. Robert Henderson Fourth Floor North Shaw Building 105 Rochford Street P.O. Box 2000, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8	Phone (902) 368-6414	Email  [email protected]