Dr. Henry Morgentaler was a prominent figure in the fight for reproductive rights in Canada. Born in Poland in 1923, he immigrated to Canada in 1950 and became a medical doctor. Throughout his career, he was a vocal advocate for women's right to access safe and legal abortion services.
In the 1960s, abortion was illegal in Canada, and women seeking abortions often had to resort to dangerous and illegal methods. Morgentaler began performing abortions in his clinic in Montreal, citing his belief that women had the right to control their own bodies and make decisions about their own reproductive health.
Morgentaler faced fierce opposition and legal battles for his actions. He was arrested and charged with performing illegal abortions, and his clinic was raided by police. However, he continued to provide abortion services, believing that it was his duty as a doctor to help women in need.
In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favor of Morgentaler, stating that the existing laws criminalizing abortion were unconstitutional. This ruling made abortion legal in Canada, and paved the way for women to have access to safe and legal abortion services.
Morgentaler's work had a significant impact on women's reproductive rights in Canada, and he was recognized for his efforts with numerous awards and honors. He was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2008, and was also awarded the Order of Quebec in 2009.
Dr. Henry Morgentaler will be remembered as a trailblazer in the fight for reproductive rights, and his contributions to the field of medicine will not be forgotten. His bravery and dedication to women's health have had a lasting impact, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations to fight for the rights and freedoms of all individuals.
R v Morgentaler
He recounts that neither the provincial nor the federal government was interested. The province appealed the acquittal. Morgentaler was a survivor of the Holocaust, a pioneer of the abortion-rights movement, and a founder and long-time president of the Humanist Association of Canada. The Quebec government, now led by the separatist Parti Québecois, announced that the federal abortion law was unenforceable. Each time, the jury took less time to reach their decision to acquit: at the third trial, they took one hour. Soon after, Morgentaler opened his first private practice as a general practitioner in East Montreal, Quèbec. In 2008, Morgentaler was named to the Order of Canada-- a decision that sparked protests across the country and provoked some other members to return their orders.
Obituary: Dr. Henry Morgentaler
Fertile Ground: Exploring Reproduction in Canada, Chp. Furthermore, there is no societal consensus that these interests should be protected either. After several abortion providers in Canada and the USA were shot, he wore bulletproof vests and installed bulletproof windows in his home. Morgentaler: A Difficult Hero, Random House of Canada, Toronto, 1996, p. On the contrary, Morgentaler devoted nearly his entire adult life to a dangerous, contentious battle against injustice. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
The Morgentaler Clinic
It rejected the argument that the Supreme Court's 1988 decision in R. Justice In June 1991, the Ontario government announced that all abortions in the province, including clinic abortions, would be covered by the In 1994 In 1995, provincial and federal rulings forced Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to allow private abortion clinics. While no precise figures exist, it is estimated that approximately 4,000 to 6,000 Canadian women died from illegal abortions between 1926 and 1947. The province originally stated that women could get medically necessary abortions at New Brunswick hospitals. The Globe and Mail.
The Holocaust Survivor Who Risked His Life for Abortion
Several months later their first child, Goldie, was born. The real worlds of Canadian politics: cases in process and policy, p. The debate crops up now and then, of course: when the 25 th anniversary of that landmark decision passed on January 28, when Morgentaler was awarded the Order of Canada in 2008, and in 2012 when Prime Minister Stephen Harper refused to challenge the lack of an abortion law. Canada has been without a law on abortion since 1988. As he aged, Morgentaler's health deteriorated and he retired from practice in 2006 due to an emergency heart surgery. The problems with administrative procedure are external to the legislation and cannot be the basis of a violation. Morgentaler paid a high price for his single-mindedness.
