What does Canadian law say about abortion?
There are NO laws regarding abortion in Canada. That means there is no protection for the unborn according to Canadian law.
When can a baby be aborted in the womb?
Without any laws regarding abortion in Canada, a baby can be aborted any time throughout the 9 months of pregnancy. That means that even the day before birth, the mother can abort her baby if she wants to.
What are the top 3 reasons women get abortions?
1) Inadequate finances.
2) Not ready for responsibility.
3) Woman’s life would be changed too much.
Answers to Common Questions
What about rape or incest?
Less than 1% of abortions are for the so-called ‘hard cases’ of rape and incest.
Rape is a horrific act of violence against a woman and the rapist should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. However, abortion does not ‘un-rape’ a women, it just adds more violence to an already violent act. If a child is conceived through rape, that child is innocent and shouldn’t be punished for the crime of his/her father. Less than 1% of abortions are in the instances of rape or incest.
“Abortion should be allowed if the baby has a disability or medical problem and wouldn’t have a good quality of life.”
Who are we to make that call? People with disabilities or medical issues are no less human, or less valuable than everyone else.
Many times diagnoses have been wrong, and women who were advised to abort give birth to perfectly healthy babies.
What about health risks to the mother?
Only 3% of all abortions are committed for the alleged “hard case” of health risk to the mother. (2)
It’s important to remember that there are two lives at stake: the life of the mother and the life of the baby. Everything should be done to try and save both lives. In tragic situations where it is not possible to save both lives, there is no ‘good’ outcome. These situations need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the best decision be made for both individuals: mother and baby.
“It should be a woman’s right to choose. It’s her body.”
There is no question that a woman should have free choice and full control over her own body. The question is, is she choosing for only herself or is there another individual affected by her choice?
Abortion hurts women. Women are not properly informed on the harmful side-effects of abortion. There are serious physical risks associated with abortion, including not being able to become pregnant again. Many women also suffer emotionally after an abortion.
Visit the Choosing Abortion page for more information.
“Women will die of unsafe back-alley abortions if we make it illegal.”
This is a myth concocted by the abortion industry. Before it’s legalization in 1969, most abortions were performed in doctor’s offices by physicians. Dr. Bernard Nathansan, the cofounder of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), admits that he and other abortion industry leaders invented figures to make the claim that “Thousands of women are dying annually from unsafe abortions.” They did this in order to win public sympathy for legalization.
“But it’s not a baby, it’s just a blob of cells.”
False! Babies develop incredibly quickly inside the womb. By the time a women even finds out that she is pregnant (usually 3 or 4 weeks from conception), her baby’s heart is already beating.
What about teen pregnancies?
50% of teen pregnancies end in abortion.(4)
What about repeat abortions?
33% of all reported abortions are repeat abortions.
A History of Abortion in Canada
upheld the British prohibitions against abortion with a uniform maximum penalty of life in prison for performing an abortion.
reflected the Britain’s Infant Life Preservation Act allowing abortion if done in good faith to save the mother’s life.
to allow abortions in cases where “the continuation of the pregnancy … would be likely to endanger the life or health of the mother.” The word “health” was never defined.
The Supreme Court of Canada struck down the 1949 law due to procedural reasons as it was in violation of Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
of these decisions, Canada stands alongside China and North Korea as the only countries in the world without any legislation whatsoever protecting the unborn.
Abortion In Canada
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History and Facts
References
- From Statistics Canada 2005 data Today’s Parent, “Parents in Waiting: International Adoption”, Diane Peters, September 2009
- From Statistics Canada 2005 data
- From Statistics Canada, “Teenage Pregnancy”,
- Therapeutic Abortion Survey, Canadian Institute for Health Information, (Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2003)
According to the pro-abortion research group, Alan Gutmacher Institute, Since they are biased, this figure is probably high