Abortion In Canada Legal But Not Accessible Pamela Cross

Henry Morgentaler is a name known by many Canadians, to some he is a courageous champion of women’s rights, to many other’s he was despicable criminal guilty of one of the most heinous crimes there is: the murder of a child. One undisputable fact about Morgentaler however is that he has had a profound and long lasting impact on Canadian society. He is most famous for being one of the key players in the 1988 Supreme Court of Canada ruling that declared the law prohibiting abortion unconstitutional. Very few non-political figures have had as much of an effect on Canadian law, politics, healthcare and societal norms as Dr. Henry Morgentaler. There is much debate on whether Dr. Morgentaler’s legacy should be one of a hero to Canadian society or whether his impact has been detrimental, most likely his influence has been somewhere in between.

In 1969, the Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his Liberal government made the contraception legal in Canada. But, they only allowed abortion under the situation that the mother's life is in danger. That was some progress, but that was far too little for the Pro-Choice supporters like abortion activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler who announced he has performed over 5000 abortion surgeries for women from all over the country. After 20 years of legal battles, finally, in 1988, The Supreme Court of Canada abolished Canada's abortion law as unconstitutional. Because it is against the Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedom：A woman's right to life, liberty and security of a person. Until now, abortion is still legal in Canada as a symbol of freedom, liberty and respect for women. And the new Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau has stated his and the liberty party's standpoint of abortion：Government of Canada will stand on the side of women's personal willingness, which is Pro-Choice. But it is also reasonable for some opponents to stand on the side of the unborn, to think of their rights of living. Pro-choice or pro-life, what

A women’s right to personally decide what she wants done to her body in any medical situation has been something they have fought for many years. On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court set a precedent that gave women that right. Along with this right to decide came the legalization of medical abortions. This is a subject that affects all American citizens nowadays, both men and women, because of the recent protests such as the Women’s March on Washington. As citizens of the United States, men and women alike, we know the historical past of what women have fought for and what rights they have been given due to that fight. If Roe v. Wade, the case that gave women the right to make their own personal medical decisions, were overturned, what

In Poland, unless a woman is a rape victim or her health is in danger, abortion is considered a crime. Still, because of Poland 's strict abortion laws that are highly motivated by conservative politicians and the Catholic church, a woman can be refused an abortion despite the implications that having another baby could make her go blind (Alicja Tysiac v Poland). Compared to Poland – abortion in South Africa is legal but unavailable, particularly for black women. One young lady named Liz (Sarah Diehl 's first case study ) — a rape victim, related her tragic story of how her parents kicked her to the street when they found out that she is pregnant. She is forced to rest on park benches and in shopping malls, while pregnant. She literally sleeps with one eye open, afraid of being raped again. In the documentary, it seems that women in South Africa have a much more tough time obtaining information and services in public hospitals because of the influence of pro-life advocates that reinforces the stigma of abortion (Abortion Democracy). This, in my opinion, contributes to the harsh and judgmental attitude of medical staffs who refuse to perform or partake in safe abortion care. Bottom line, despite the differences in abortion policies and laws regulating abortions – both Polish and South African women, struggle dearly for their rights and recognition as they live out the widespread impact of religious fanaticism, sexism, violence, and

With almost half the nation divided among their views, abortion remains one of the most controversial topics in our society. Since Roe v. Wade, our views in society as well as following court cases have been progressing toward the woman’s right to choose. The precedent set by Roe v. Wade made the Supreme Court acknowledge that it cannot rule specifically when life begins and it also affirms that it is the woman’s right to have an abortion under the 14th Amendment. In the 1st Amendment, the Establishment Clause forbids the government from passing laws “which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another”. Many Christian pro-lifers use their religious beliefs to dispute when life begins. Although through the Free Exercise

In 1960, the first birth control pill was put on the market. This was the first time a woman’s reproductive health was in her own control. Ever since the 1900’s women have been fighting for the right to their own reproductive rights (“The Fight for Reproductive Rights”). With the upcoming presidential election the right to obtain birth control and other contraceptives for women could be jeopardized, and taken out of the control of the woman. Thus, the history of birth control, the statistics of how it affects today’s society, why women should have the ability to obtain it easily, and how if outlawed it would not only hurt women, but also the economy are all important topics in the women’s rights movement and very relevant in modern day society.

In the case of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that multiple U.S. amendments give Americans the right to privacy. Although the case ruled abortion a right for women, many states still implement rules and regulations that make a professionally administered abortion very hard, if not nearly impossible to obtain (Abortion). I believe that abortion should be legalized and made readily available all over the world.

Historical context of Canadian society’s polarization on abortion originates in the latter half of the nineteenth century. In 1892, Canada criminalized abortion and all forms of contraception due to moral and religious objectives of protecting the unborn child as well as the health and safety of the mother. The Criminal Code made the advertisement and publication of information on both abortion and contraceptives as well as the actual use of contraceptives criminal acts. The act of performing or receiving an abortion was also recognized as an indictable offence, punishable by up to life imprisonment. In defiance of these legal obstacles, many women continued to seek abortions, despite legal prohibitions and significant health risks associated

Abortion is not only a fluctuating concept in our society, but an ethical and emotional debate, as well. The image I have chosen presents concepts from a cultural and historical background, as well as presents an ethical, emotional, and logical appeal to the audience.

This website is sponsored by Google and is used to argue both sides of many controversial issues. It is meant for readers that are for and against abortion or those that have not decided what side to choose. This website provides the pros and cons of abortion, background information, and videos related to the topic. They include that the Supreme Court believes abortion should be a fundamental right to women, however, abortion is also seen as the murder of an innocent, vulnerable, human being yet to be born. Pro-abortionists believe women rights outweigh fetus rights and anti-abortionists believe it causes embryos pain and is unfair to people that

Dorothy E. McBride (2008) explains that in the eighteenth century, when the Constitution was outlined and established, there was a common conviction that it was probable for the developing embryo to have a soul as early as during the second trimester of the pregnancy. This trimester, also called quickening, was thought of as a time where something significant changed in the pregnancy. The fetus was now viewed upon as independent life and was no longer simply a clump of cells; it was a baby. As a result it soon became justifiable to punish whoever aborted a quick fetus, as it was the equivalent of killing a baby. Prevailing U.S. law is, in this context, considerably comparable to the abortion law that was created more than 300 years ago — both

In today’s society, abortion is a controversial topic. Many people dispute if it is moral to eliminate the potential of the unborn fetus or if it is fair to force the parent to keep and raise the baby if the parent isn’t ready. In Sallie Tisdale’s We Do Abortions Here: A Nurse’s Story, the author uses imagery and internal conflict to recreate her experiences as a nurse employed at an abortion hospital. She does this to make her audience understand her and the people who work in abortion hospitals’ perspective.

Women’s rights have been a long struggle in America’s legal system, as well as in the religious world, for many decades and women continue to have challenges, concerns, and struggles today. Fighting for what is best for their bodies such as a woman’s right to contraceptives to control whether she will get pregnant or not was not ideal for religious and personal reasons but would find a worthy advocate in a woman who would dedicate her life for women’s reproductive rights. The right for a woman to have an abortion became a legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Courts in a very well-known case.

Jost, Kenneth, and Kathy Koch. "Abortion Showdowns." CQ Researcher 22 Sept. 2006: 769-92. Web. 27 July 2015

The conflict over abortion in America has been a major social problem in our nation for decades. During the 1960 's and 70 's with the coinciding civil rights movement and women’s rights movement, abortion became the new national issue that we still see today between two opposing ideologies, grouped into sides coined as pro-life and pro-choice. It is one of the biggest debates over whose morals and beliefs are adequate for our society that make the abortion issue such a controversial and divisive one. Each side believes that their views and beliefs are what we are a society should follow and belief.