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By Jim Coggins
CANADIAN Christians have been struggling with how to respond to the July 1 announcement that abortion rights activist Henry Morgentaler is being awarded the Order of Canada. A number of Christian organizations have lobbied to have the award rescinded, while two awards given earlier have been returned in protest.
Morgentaler was one of 75 new recipients announced July 1. Others included politicians such as former prime minister Kim Campbell and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna, union leader Buzz Hargrove, TV journalist Peter Mansbridge and rock musician Randy Bachman. However, it was Morgentaler's award that garnered most of the attention.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) called on the Canadian government to reconsider the award, noting that the awards are meant to unify Canadians, but Morgentaler's appointment creates "controversy and division."
The CCCB also drew attention to the motto of the Order of Canada, which translates as "They desire a better country" and is apparently taken from Hebrews 11:16. While many recipients of the Order have tried to improve society by saving lives and caring for the weak, Morgentaler "has encouraged the development of a culture of death and has thus attacked the most vulnerable, the unborn," said the CCCB.
Several Catholic bishops issued their own statements, including the Archbishop of Toronto and the Archbishop of Vancouver.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada issued a similar statement, while Ralph Mayan, president of Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC), contrasted an earlier award to Romeo Dallaire for his efforts "to save the lives of thousands in Rwanda" with Morgentaler's award for work which has "resulted in deaths of hundreds of thousands of unborn children."
The rules for the Order of Canada allow for the revocation of awards in some circumstances, and the LCC statement notes that hockey entrepreneur Alan Eagleson had his award revoked.
One pro-life group has even organized a petition to have the award rescinded.
There have also been suggestions in the pro-life camp that the Advisory Committee which decides who gets an award changed its usual procedure -- while the committee usually requires unanimity, Morgentaler's award was decided by majority vote.
The argument that the controversial award is divisive was repeated by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and several Members of Parliament have also called for Morgentaler's award to be rescinded.
The awards are not made by the Government but by an Advisory Committee nominally under the Governor-General. Any Canadian can nominate someone for the honour. The pro-choice movement has been lobbying for Morgentaler to receive the honour for several years, and time was running out since he is in ill health.
Shortly after the announcement was made, Lucien Larre, a Roman Catholic priest who received the award in 1983 for his work with troubled youth, sent his award back, saying that giving the award to Morgentaler was "degrading to the Order of Canada."
Larre told CC.com that "as Canadians, we tolerate opposing views" and "I can't expect everyone who has the Order of Canada to reflect my views." However, he said that giving the award to Morgentaler went too far since "half of Canadians see him as a scoundrel and a murderer."
On July 8, the Madonna House Apostolate publicly returned the Order of Canada award that had been given to the founder of that Roman Catholic community, Cartherine de Hueck Doherty, in 1976. Larry Klein, one of the directors of the community's main house in Combermere, Ontario, told CC.com the community's 220 members worldwide decided unanimously it was "something we had to do."
Neither Larre nor Klein are calling for other Order of Canada recipients to return their awards. Larre said it is a difficult choice, a dilemma that each person must resolve in his or her own conscience.
It was announced in December 2007 that Sister Margaret Vickers will receive the Order of Canada for her work in public health care, although, due to a backlog, she will not actually receive the award until the fall of 2008.
Vickers told CC.com she was very surprised and "very sad for the country that such an honour is being given to such a person" as Morgentaler. However, she did not feel she should refuse her award since it would "disappoint the people who have taken the trouble to nominate me."
While Morgentaler was "a poor choice" to receive it, the Order of Canada is still a valuable means of honouring "people who labour day in and day out for the common good," said Vickers.
Gerald Vandezande, who received Order of Canada recognition in 2001 for his work with various groups, including the national Christian social action organization Citizens for Public Justice, said he was not surprised that Morgentaler was given the award.
"The Order is extended to people of various backgrounds, beliefs and views who have made important contributions to Canadian life," said Vandezande, and there is no question Morgentaler "has been an influential, albeit controversial figure in Canadian life."
Recognition of someone's work does not necessarily mean endorsement of that person's particular ideology or life perspective, said Vandezande.
Vandezande noted that another of this year's recipients, Kim Campbell, supported the last bill that attempted to limit and regulate abortion in Canada. Bill C-43, which was defeated in the Senate in 1991, was opposed by Morgentaler but conditionally supported by Vandezande.
Vandezande said he has no plans to return his own Order of Canada award. He accepted it, he said, on behalf of "the many people who have been faithful in trying to apply their Christian faith in everyday life and Canadian politics."
The award provides a useful platform, said Vandezande. "I want to use my Canadian citizenship and Order of Canada credibility to support effective measures that lead to a more just and equitable society for all Canadians," he said.
Not all Christians are opposed to Morgentaler's award. Former Vancouver mayor Philip Owen, an Anglican who was made a member on the same day as Morgentaler, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation he respects the Supreme Court of Canada's decision to legalize abortion in 1988. "We should move on," he said.
Murray McCheyne Thomson, a Quaker who was made an Officer of the Order in 2001 for his disarmament work, particularly with Project Ploughshares, was even more supportive. He told CC.com that Morgentaler "deserved" the award. "If there is no restriction on human life, we are going to have so many people that many more are going to die, especially the poorest people," he said.
But the majority of Canadian Christians commenting on the issue were highly critical of the award being given to Morgentaler.
Gwendolyn Landolt, national vice president of REAL Women of Canada, issued a news release stating that the Order of Canada has rightly honoured many Canadians "for accomplishments of local and regional significance," but when it comes to honouring Canadians for contributions on a national level, "the Order . . . has become a political tool to promote the left-wing agenda," and the Order has rarely "recognized the services of those who take a conservative approach to issues."
The Order of Canada should be scrapped altogether "because it is a partisan organ, which is meaningless to most Canadians," wrote Landolt.
"Something has changed in who gets the award," said Klein. "The Committee has put its personal agenda ahead of the good of the country."
The award to Morgentaler is evidence that "our country has become de-Christianized," said Larre.
On the other hand, National Post columnist Father Raymond J. de Souza suggested the awarding of the order of Canada to Morgentaler was intended by his supporters "to confer . . . a sense of settled legitimacy to the publicly funded unlimited abortion license." Instead, the award has had the opposite effect, re-opening the whole abortion debate.
Vandezande said he, for one, would welcome such a debate and stated that the dialogue should include all parties, including Morgentaler and those who share his opinion, so that real progress can be made toward "the common good."
Parliament should recognize the fundamental right to life of the unborn child but also "the basic right to life, adequate child care, affordable housing and income security" for pregnant women and their families, said Vandezande, so that they can make "meaningful, responsible decisions for themselves and their loved ones."
Related stories:
Reports that Morgentaler to be named to Order of Canada met with controversy
A published report that abortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler will receive the Order of Canada is being met with both applause and outrage. A national newspsper reported Tuesday that Morgentaler will receive the prestigious national honour. However, no one in the Governor General's office could be reached on the Canada Day holiday to comment.
Canadian Press, July 1
Henry Morgentaler's naming to Order of Canada met with controversy
The naming of abortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler to the Order of Canada is being met with both applause and outrage. The Harper government was quick to distance itself from the decision.
Canadian Press, July 1
Henry Morgentaler's Canada is not my Canada
Word on the street is that, barring an unlikely 11th-hour intervention, Dr. Henry Morgentaler, our country's most famous abortionist, will be inducted into the Order of Canada. The decision, which is to be announced in time for Canada Day, is clearly not driven by popular demand. For example, an online poll by the Globe and Mail, with over 300,000 respondents, went 92% to 8% against giving the award to Morgentaler.
Douglas Farrow, Full Comment, National Post, June 29
Outrage brews as Ottawa set to honour Morgentaler
Abortion-rights crusader's friends and foes gird for fight over expected Order of Canada
Globe and Mail, July 1
Morgentaler named to Order of Canada
Henry Morgentaler, the country's best-known abortion-rights crusader, has been named to the Order of Canada, the country's highest honour. Governor General Michalle Jean on Tuesday announced 75 new appointments to the Order of Canada. The new appointees include five Companions, 26 Officers, and 43 Members, as well as one Honorary Officer.
Globe and Mail, July 1
Cheers, jeers greet Morgentaler's honour
The Harper government was quick to distance itself from the announcement that Henry Morgentaler, the controversial abortion doctor who changed the face of health care in the country, was named on Tuesday to the Order of Canada. The Tories, no doubt sensing a brewing backlash from their conservative base, issued a brief response outlining how the appointment process has nothing to do with the government.
Globe and Mail, July 1
Morgentaler is no monster. But he still doesn't deserve the Order of Canada
Opponents of abortion cast Henry Morgentaler as a monster. Proponents of abortion rights view him as a Saint. Both of these views are overly simplistic. In fact, Dr. Morgentaler -- a Polish holocaust survivor who has made it his life's work to help Canadian women get access to abortion services -- is a complex figure. While he does not deserve the Order of Canada, he also does not deserve to be blamed for the absurd state of abortion law in this country.
Jonathan Kay, Full Comment, National Post, July 1
Morgentaler proud to 'finally' receive Order of Cda, says Cda set global example
Abortion rights activist Henry Morgentaler said Wednesday he's honoured that his work has "finally" been recognized with the country's highest civilian honour and hopes the country has set an example for governments around the world. Best known for taking his fight to the Supreme Court and striking down the country's abortion laws 20 years ago, Morgentaler expressed surprise that those opposed to him being named to the Order of Canada have not been "more violent."
Canadian Press, July 2
Morgentaler given Order of Canada
High honour for abortion doctor outrages activists
National Post, July 2
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Morgentaler 'honoured' to receive Order
Abortion rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler says he's honoured to receive the Order of Canada and says the country has set an example for other countries to emulate. Dr. Morgentaler, best known for taking the issue of abortion rights all the way to the Supreme Court, says he's proud to receive the prestigious order.
Globe and Mail, July 2
'I deserve' Order of Canada, Morgentaler says
Abortion doctor's honour applauded, derided
Toronto Star, July 2
Coquitlam priest returns Order of Canada
Father Lucien Larre said giving honour to abortion activist Henry Morgentaler "degrades" award
The Province, July 2
Honouring a remorseless extremist
Yesterday, it was confirmed that abortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler received the Order of Canada. Was that wise? No. The Order of Canada is meant to honour an individual whose contribution to the nation all Canadians can take pride in. Dr. Morgentaler's successful crusade to ennoble the concept of abortion without constraints of any kind does not meet that criterion.
Barbara Kay, National Post, July 2
A symbol of moral decay
To award the Order of Canada to Henry Morgentaler does not much diminish Governor-General Michaelle Jean nor Canada (neither, truth to tell, have much of a reputation to tarnish), but it might make some past recipients -- for example, Jean Vanier (1971), or the Salvation Army's Arnold Brown (1982), or the late Cardinal Emmett Carter (1983) -- seem to be in rather uncomfortable company. But then, people forget that the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Yasser Arafat.
Ian Hunter, Full Comment, National Post, July 2
Abortion doctor: 'I am very proud'
Beyond the steel door and security cameras that guard the entrance to his Toronto clinic, Henry Morgentaler, Canada's most lauded and reviled abortionist, sat in a conference room with a photograph of Albert Einstein behind him on the wall. Prompted by the media pack who had gathered for his comments on being appointed to the Order of Canada, a distinction for which he is "genuinely honoured and proud," Dr. Morgentaler said the portrait's caption nicely captures his 40-year campaign to liberalize access to abortion in Canada, during which he has been incarcerated and survived the bombing of a clinic.
National Post, July 3
B.C. priest gives back his Order over Morgentaler
Revoke abortion doctor's award, churches say
National Post, July 3
Veto of Morgentaler would have set precedent
The Governor-General has the power to veto appointments to the Order of Canada, but it would have been highly unusual for her to use it to block abortion-rights activist Henry Morgentaler from receiving the honour, according to those familiar with the process.
Globe and Mail, July 3
Every child a gift from God
I began bothering people in 1973. This was the year that I was born, and folks who have known me since before I could form memories assure me that my company was unpleasant almost from day one. Something else happened in that year -- something that has had a profound effect on society ever since. In January of 1973, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling, guaranteeing American women the right to abortion.
Theo Caldwell, National Post, July 3
A champion of personal liberty
Dr. Henry Morgentaler is like a Rorschach Test. Show his picture to activist Judy Rebick, or one of the millions of Canadian women who have undergone an abortion they do not regret, and they see a hero; a man who put principal ahead of personal freedom and safety.
John Moore, National Post, July 3
Morgentaler's claim that abortion reduces crime is a myth
So much for every child being "wanted." In 1999 journalist Steve Sailor of Slate.com debated Levitt, noting that the national homicide data showed Levitt's (and Morgentaler's) theory doesn't stand up to scrutiny: The first cohort born after Roe vs Wade, as 14-17 year olds, produced a homicide rate triple that of the last cohort born before abortion was legalized. You can read all about it and see the graphs here.
Barbara Kay, Full Comment, National Post, July 3
Veto of Morgentaler would have set precedent
Although the Governor-General has the power to strike names from the advisory council's list, it has never happened, expert says
Globe and Mail, July 4
Protest against doctor turns graphic
As one anti-abortion group rolled out graphic images of aborted fetuses to protest Dr. Henry Morgentaler's ascension to the Order of Canada, two southern Alberta winners of Canada's highest honour said they saw nothing wrong with controversial figures gaining membership into the prestigious club. The Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, a Calgary-based antiabortion group, hit the city's streets yesterday by sending out a truck plastered with the bloody images to drive on busy roadways.
National Post, July 4
Who's ready to return their snowflake?
If I had the sole and undivided power to select the Order of Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler would get through the door easily. Indeed, we might have to create a whole new class of the Order just for him. Morgentaler risked imprisonment and assassination to establish ethical principles of which he was sincerely convinced -- principles that seemed outrageous when he started out but are now widely accepted. For those who believe in open access to safe abortion, he exemplifies a species of civil and moral courage more usually associated with names like Patrick Henry or Nelson Mandela.
Colby Cosh, National Post, July 4
Opposing abortion isn't a modern Christian fad
In Who's Ready to Return Their Snowflake, July 4, Colby Cosh poses a serious question. It is unfortunate that, in doing so, he indulges his own cynicism with a series of non sequiturs and frivolous asides. It is still more unfortunate that he also misleads his readers with a glaring historical falsehood, namely: "the idea that abortion is morally equivalent to murder is just as absent from the history of the world before the 1960s as is the bold, proud above-board abortionist."
Douglas Farrow, Full Comment, National Post, July 4
Order of Canada for Morgentaler tells us a lot about our country
An announcement this week that Henry Morgentaler has been named to the Order of Canada has significance that goes well beyond the man. It speaks to the nature of Canada, to this nation's tolerance of individuals and ideas that reach out to the nether regions of our traditional comfort zone. This is a good thing. This is why Canada is much admired around the world.
Barbara Yaffe, Vancouver Sun, July 4
Controversy and the Order of Canada
Historian Christopher McCreery takes your questions
Globe and Mail, July 4
Morgentaler's shallow victory
Leave aside the merits of the case, well-debated elsewhere. Of course it's odious. Yet at the same time it has been highly instructive. It turns out that abortion is not quite the settled issue it was supposed to be.
Father Raymond J. de Souza, National Post, July 7
Is abortion only a women's issue?
Last Thursday, we devoted our entire letters page to just one topic: Henry Morgentaler being given the Order of Canada. The views of 22 readers were aired that day, with 11 writers vehemently disapproving of the honour vs. seven in agreement. (The other four letters dealt with tangential Order issues). The next day a handful of readers pointed out that all but one of the writers in the anti-Morgentaler camp were males, compared to six of the seven Morgentaler supporters being females.
Paul Russell, Full Comment, National Post, July 7
Group to return Order of Canada
An Order of Canada given to a woman now being considered by the Vatican for sainthood will be returned by the religious community she founded as a protest over the same honour being given to abortion doctor Henry Morgentaler. Catherine de Hueck Doherty, a Russian aristocrat who started Madonna House more than 60 years ago in rural Ontario, was given the award in 1976 in recognition of a "lifetime of devoted services to the underprivileged of many nationalities, both in Canada and abroad."
National Post, July 8
McGuinty supports Morgentaler's appointment
Awarding Canada's most notable abortion rights crusader the country's highest civilian honour may have sparked furor among religious groups and social conservatives, but Ontario's Catholic premier said Tuesday he supports the move. Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty, who's no stranger to religious controversy, voiced his approval of Dr. Henry Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada -- putting him in direct opposition to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Canadian Press, July 8
Also: Canadian Press
After Morgentaler, CM, will the silence of the lambs continue?
At the time of this writing, the observed Outrage Quotient remains one angry clergyman divided by 3,000-plus living members of the Order. Not what I'd call "widespread", despite the fact that various stories on the controversy use this adjective and others like it unblinkingly. But something occurred to me after the piece appeared: perhaps I had made the denominator in this equation unfairly large? After all, isn't the Order of Canada positively crawling with priests, nuns, and career papists of various sorts? Do any of these people besides Fr. Larre care about established principles of their faith enough to make a meaningful protest?
Colby Cosh, Full Comment, National Post, July 8
Former N.B. lieutenant-governor says he'll return Order of Canada in protest
A former lieutenant-governor from New Brunswick said he plans to return his Order of Canada award to protest Dr. Henry Morgentaler's receipt of the distinction. "If Dr. Morgentaler becomes a member, the Order of Canada for me has decreased in value," Gilbert Finn, 87, said from his home in Dieppe, N.B., on Wednesday.
Canadian Press, July 9
In 1988, the abortion issue went toxic here. Remember Bill Vander Zalm?
The eruption over Henry Morgentaler's elevation to the Order of Canada cannot have surprised anyone who recalls the way the abortion issue played out in this province 20 years ago. Not many of the debates I've covered have been as intense or bitter. None can be blamed for wrecking an entire political party.
Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun, July 9
Two-thirds support Morgentaler award: poll
Two out of three Canadians either support or somewhat support the appointment of Dr. Henry Morgentaler to the prestigious Order of Canada, reveals a new poll, which points out Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in the minority by voicing his "personal dissatisfaction" with the controversial nomination.
Ottawa Citizen, July 9
What's to be done with Raymond Gravel?
Canada's Muslims are sensible enough to find a way to confine Mr. Elmasry to the attic in due course, so I will leave him to them. We Catholics have a similar problem on our hands in one Raymond Gravel, the rookie MP for Repentigny, just outside of Montreal. He appeared in La Presse on Tuesday commenting on the Morgentaler business, marvelling at how one and the same man could be considered "the greatest humanist of the 20th century" and a "notorious criminal and assassin of children."
Father Raymond J. De Souza, National Post, July 9
Enough with the dead baby pictures
I was a Catholic teenage pro-life activist. And today I am a Catholic theology student and columnist for the Toronto Catholic Register. The other day, I read Colby Cosh's National Post article singling out Catholic recipients of the Order of Canada for criticism. The atheist columnist, who staunchly believes that there is nothing wrong with abortion, took delight in the reluctance of these Catholics to return their "metal snowflakes." He believes it shows that they aren't willing to take a pro-life stand. I wrote a sharp response on my blog, observing both that Catholics have had a hard time breaking into the Establishment in this historically anti-Catholic country and that making a stand against abortion is mighty tough to do in this country. It can make you a pariah. Sometimes it can cost you your career. It certainly dissuaded me from writing for my university newspaper, a newspaper that launched the careers of Stephanie Nolan and Naomi Klein.
Dorothy Cummings, Full Comment, National Post, July 9
Windsor man becomes latest to reject Order of Canada in protest of Morgentaler
A Windsor, Ont., man honoured two decades ago for helping orphaned girls worldwide said Thursday he doesn't want to be painted with the same brush as Dr. Henry Morgentaler and will return his Order of Canada in protest. "I've got nothing against the man," Frank Chauvin said. "He does what he thinks is right, but I think it's wrong."
Canadian Press, July 10
July 10/2008
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I admire those who have returned their Order of Canada: I agree that this diminishes the Order. Further more, let us not forget that the good doctor did what he did for money using the high profile of his activities as free advertising.
Benjamin was born at 28-weeks and I can't fathom that Morgentaler should be praised for persuading people that the killing of young lives, like Benjamin's, is acceptable.
I implore the Governor General to take a bold stand and say, "No!"
Honestly, how can any of us claim to be pro-life if we stop caring about that life once the baby is born?
Trudeauesque Canadiana [as I call it] has resulted in a Charter culture of individualism, self-centerednes and a focus on the hedonistic, nihilistic now! Abortion on demand is one aspect of this.
I agree with much of what you state and I am not right wing pro-life; however, I believe that not all abortions are created equal. You need solid statistics to back up your arguments about rates and deaths. I personally would not outlaw abortion, but Morgentaler's practices I believe went too far
In the end, as you say it all comes down love which is in short supply.
Morgentaler has said that he deserves the Order of Canada: I disagree!
Wilma Lorraine