Charles Adler Blog

• Abort the Order of Canada to Morgentaler
  Monday, July 7, 2008
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  Adler to Governor General-Abort the Order of Canada to Morgentaler
  by Charles Adler/July 3/08
  

  It's official now. A Committee representing nobody but themselves has spoken for the rest of us and the Governor General who is supposed to speak for all of us, has decided to give Henry Morgentaler an Order of Canada. And so 2008 has become the year of Morgentaler. What can we do?
  The general Canadian way would be to just move on. And we might do that but not before a few more words are spoken by you and me. Part of what I say here was inspired by a conversation on Adler on Line with a great teacher and thinker. Barbara Kay wrote a column this week on the social and moral travesty of awarding Morgentaler the Order of Canada. Kay called Morgentaler a remorseless extremist, which is precisely what he is - A man who takes an extreme view of the procedure that he and his colleagues have performed thousands of times. The more the merrier.
  There has always been something ghoulish about the doctor who is many things but definitely not Order of Canada material, definitely not a source of pride and inspiration for the overwhelming majority of Canadians. Terry Fox would be the gold standard of an Order of Canada recipient. Henry Morgentaler would be the brown standard. And who can blame the Canadians who are browned off? As the writer put it very well: "Abortion is a divisive issue, and only two minority groups believe there is a black-and-white answer to the questions of "if" and "when". Certain religious groups feel abortion is never an option. Certain ideological groups believe it is never not an option. And that's exactly the way it is...Morgentaler is the poster child for the Abortion Now. Abortion tomorrow. Abortion Always.
  No need to talk about Adoption. No need to discuss emotional or physiological consequences. But returning to our writer teacher and her words that ring so true. She says “most Canadians are in the middle on this issue, sympathetic to the termination of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, as well as those involving grave abnormalities. But we do NOT favour abortion as retroactive birth control, as punishment for an uncooperative partner or for reasons of inconvenience or gender selection, especially late in the pregnancy."
  I have never read a more accurate read of the Canadian conscience on this issue. I stand with Barbara Kay on this. I stand against the Governor General. And I would as a Canadian call on her to reverse her decision to include Henry Morgentaler's name on the Order of Canada list. Yes I know the Governor General is considered a figure head. But the truth is that she is not. If she has the power to turn down a prime minister who wants to dissolve parliament, and she does, then she certainly has the power to shave this year’s list of 75 Order of Canada recipients. There is only one person I can think of who could influence the Governor General in this decision. It is the Prime Minister. What has he done so far about this? He has offered a point of view. Here is what he has said to the media "My preference, to be frank, would be to see the Order of Canada be something that really unifies, that brings Canadians together...I have to say this clearly: This is not a decision of the government of Canada. These decisions, are made independently of the government."
  The Prime Minister is not in error. He is factually correct. But it is also factually correct there is no law that prevents a Prime Minister from expressing his thoughts and feelings to the Governor General. She is the head of state, speaks for the country. He is head of her government. He consults and advises her on all matters of state. I would say that on this issue which seems to be energizing Canadians and not in a good way, the Prime Minister ought to seriously consider having a chat with Michaelle Jean. Will Stephen Harper be attacked by the usual suspect for bending to the will of people on the right if he does this? Yes he will be. And he should do it anyway.
  People who are elected to lead this country should stop bending to the will of some of those on the left who have far too much influence on what is said in this country and how it is said about the things that matter most. On Tuesday of this week, for the first time in my life, my home had a flag pole and a brand new Canadian flag. I have always been reluctant to that because it's something I always perceived as an American thing to do. But for whatever reason this week, I decided not to bend to that kind of defensiveness any longer. I don't wish to define my love of country by disrespecting someone else's love of theirs or by suppressing my desire to show affection because my American neighbour feels free to show his or hers.
  Am I less free in Canada than my American cousin? Then why do I behave that way?
  If some politically correct left leaning committee were to recommend to the President of the United States, Republican or Democrat that the country's number one advocate of abortion on demand be given a Presidential Medal of Honour it would and could not happen. So how dare we look down our noses at our American neighbours? I hate to say it. But it's true. For all the moral superiority bunk that the CBC and others preach, on this issue we have no moral superiority at all. It's time to stop yielding to those who are claiming that their version of Canada is everyone's Canada. It isn't and if this country becomes their personal playpen, it's probably because we walked away from an argument and once again chose to submit ourselves to what I have often called a Tyranny of Politeness. We serve not our interests but our interest in being polite and surrendering. I want you to tell me whether or not I am right. Should the Prime Minister get involved here? Should the PM ask the Governor General to reverse the decision to confer the order of Canada on Henry Morgentaler?
  Call 800 665 2202 Email Adler On Line@Gmail.Com....If you want a copy of the remarks I have offered you go to our blog, Adler on the Edge. Find it by logging on to CharlesAdler.Com and feel free to post your response.
  
  

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