Henry Morgentaler's Impact On Society

The provincial government proposed the sexual sterilization Act which enabled the Alberta Eugenics Board to sterilize 2822 wards in order to “improve” the human race through parent selection. Men and women were sterilized without their consent to make sure they did not pass on their disabilities to the next generation. This invoked the notwithstanding clause because it took away their life and liberty right. They have the right to choose when to have kids and if they want kids. Now they don’t have the choice to pick either, which in the long term takes away a huge aspect of their life.

Roe vs. Wade is the highly publicized Supreme Court ruling that overturned a Texas interpretation of abortion law and made abortion legal in the United States. The Roe v. Wade decision held that a woman, with her doctor, has the right to choose abortion in earlier months of pregnancy without legal restriction, and with restrictions in later months, based on the right to privacy. As a result, all state laws that limited women 's access to abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy were invalidated by this particular case. State laws limiting such access during the second trimester were upheld only when the restrictions were for the purpose of protecting the health of the pregnant woman. Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the greater United States, which was not legal at all in many states and was limited by law in others. Prior to the case it was the state that determined the legality of abortions.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms first came into effect on April 17, 1982. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is one part of the Canadian Constitution, created in 1867. The Constitution is a set of laws containing the basic rules about how a country operates. The Charter sets out those rights and freedoms that Canadians believe are necessary in a free and democratic society. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is an effective tool to ensure and maintain a just society as it protects the innocence of people, protects and ensures past laws and states fundamental freedoms, all of which work to create a thriving society.

“Just watch me”. One of the most popular quotes in all of Canadian history and was said by Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau. His legacy, attitude, and work transformed Canada and still continues to do so. Trudeau was the Prime Minister of Canada, from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984. Pierre Trudeau changed Canada’s social-political ideology. Canada is now known to be a diverse, multicultural, bilingual and inclusive nation largely as a result of his work. Pierre Elliott Trudeau also believed in an equal Canada for all, he is primarily the one to introduce rights and freedoms to the citizens of Canada. While some view Pierre Trudeau as impulsive, for enforcing the War Measures Act, Trudeau enacted this for the protection of Canadian citizens against radical extremist and his actions were more rational than impulsive for the situation that had suddenly occurred. Pierre Trudeau was one of Canada’s greatest Prime Minister’s, who’s impact fundamentally changed the course of the nation by introducing multiculturalism, for introducing the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and for paradoxically upholding democracy by strong action during the October Crisis.

Roe v. Wade is the most well known case on abortion and was originally located in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, but later became a Supreme Court case. Roe’s real name was Norma Leah McCorvey, but she used a pseudonym used to protect her privacy. She wanted to terminate her pregnancy by abortion- which was illegal according to Texas law. A criminal abortion statute was first enacted in Texas in 1854, with the exception of abortion by medical advice for the purpose of saving the life of the mother. She was a single woman in Dallas, Texas and began fighting this action in 1970 against the district attorney of the county. She claimed that her pregnancy was the result of rape in order to strengthen her case, but later publicly admitted that this was a lie. She said that the Texas criminal abortion statutes were unconstitutional, that she was unmarried and pregnant and that she wished to terminate her pregnancy. She also said that her life was not in danger because of the pregnancy, but that she could not afford to travel to another jurisdiction in order to receive a legal abortion under safe

Abortion has been a medical procedure for in the United States since as early as the 1880s. Historically it has been a medical procedure that was used when a woman’s life was in danger for medical reasons, rape, or incest. The Landmark case that set a new standard for Abortion in the United States came in 1973 in the state of Texas. “On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Roe v. Wade, a challenge to a Texas statute that made it a crime to perform an abortion unless a woman’s life was at stake. The case had been filed by “Jane Roe,” an unmarried woman who wanted to safely and legally end her pregnancy. Siding with Roe, the court struck down the Texas law. In its ruling, the court recognized for the first time that the constitutional right to privacy “is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy” (Roe v. Wade, 1973). Roe has come to

This is the key Supreme Court ruling I have selected to analyze. The law being challenged was about the decision by women to have abortion without the interference from politicians. The case was held on January 22, 1973 by the Supreme Court where it handed down its landmark decision in the case of Roe v. Wade. The court recognized the constitutional rights to a woman’s right to make her own personal medical decision. The government entity that was part of the case was the politicians (Joyce, 2013). The politicians were against the process of legalizing abortion. They fought the process through pushing bills in Congress to ban it. They were against Roe’s plans of being handed a free access to abortion. Norma McCorvey was the petitioner in the case of Roe v. Wade. She claimed to have been raped and subsequently become pregnant. She visited her doctor who then refused performing abortion she requested for. Texas law made abortion illegal except if it was necessary to save a mother’s life. The argument of McCorvey was that the Texas statute infringed on a woman’s fundamental personal right to privacy of abortion. McCovey under the pseudonym of Jane Roe additionally claimed Texas law is not rationally legitimate to private sexual conduct and human life.

Wade has been beneficial to our nation in more ways than one. According to plannedparenthood.org, “The ability to make this personal healthcare decision has also enabled women to pursue educational and employment opportunities that were often unthinkable prior to Roe.” This statement is exactly why this famous case should not be overturned. Sarah Weddington, the youngest woman that was on the Roe v. Wade case, said in an interview with The Guardian that although states do not have the capability to make abortions illegal, they do have the ability to make access to them near to impossible. eddington also mentioned that there is a vacancy in the Supreme Court and with all of the older male judges, if a few pro-life judges were to be elected in, our right to abortion could be at stake. (qtd. in

On January 22, 1973, in a 7-2 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down it’s landmark decision in the case of Roe v. Wade, which recognized that the constitutional right to privacy extends to a woman’s right to make her own personal medical decisions — including the decision to have an abortion without interference from politicians (Planned Parenthood). There are many moments in history when Roe v. Wade has been so close to being overturned, yet it is still in place. Abortion should stay legal, or not overturned, for the health of women everywhere.

A recent federal lawsuit has been filed by the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) challenging the constitutionality of three provisions of the Setonia’s Abortion Laws. The three provisions ACLU are challenging are as follows (McCauliff):

Children remain a controversial issue in the law for women and occur frequently in debates today. The birth control movement started in 1873 with the Comstock Law, which outlawed the distribution of birth control information and devices through mail. This included birth control related items imported from outside the United States. The Comstock Law also outlawed possession of information about birth control, as well as possession of actual birth control devices or medications, including those for abortions or contraceptives. In the 1900s, many states held laws that prohibited medically prescribed contraceptives to married couples. In 1912, Margaret Sanger began publishing articles on birth control and founded the National Birth

After Roe v. Wade in 1973 people became more aware of abortions in a general term. At the time only therapeutic abortions were allowed, but after Roe v. Wade elective abortions were no longer against the law. Although elective abortions were now legal there were still certain restrictions. The biggest restriction was what time frame a woman could have an abortion. This time frame was determined using the stages of pregnancy based on religion and science. The right to privacy was another issue brought up in Roe v. Wade, it was determined that women have a right to privacy when it comes to abortion. Religion has played a big role on abortion. Jewish law as always considered an unborn child a fetus until after birth; therefore the fetus had no

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

Abortion is a huge argument in the world today. “In 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court held in Roe V.Wade that the right of privacy protects women’s decisions to end unwanted pregnancy before the fetus develops.” By 2013, 70 restrictions to curb the practice of abortion from 22 states. (Funk & Wagnalls pg.1). In 2014, five health votes were examined by the House of Representatives regarding the matter of abortion. Everyone has a side to abortion from politics to democrats, people in religions to people with no religions, the people having the baby to someone who never had a baby before; everyone sees a different side to it. My believe on abortion is it should be Illegal because it kills innocent lives.

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.