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Conservatives quiet, other parties react to death of Doctor Henry Morgentaler

Andy Radia
·Politics Reporter

It appears that the Conservatives are sticking to their 'no talk about abortion' rule.

Doctor Henry Morgentaler, known as the leader of Canada's abortion movement, died at the age of 90 on Wednesday.

As explained by Yahoo Canada News' Matt Coutts, the doctor — who was awarded the Order of Canada in 2008 — was a polarizing figure.

"He broke the law and opened the country’s first abortion clinic in Montreal in 1969. His work made him the most notorious name in Canada’s polarizing abortion debate, garnering him both credit and criticism through his extensive career."

[ Related: Women’s rights crusader Henry Morgentaler dead at 90 ]

On Wednesday, journalists tried, in vain, to get a quote about Morgentaler's death from the Conservative Party:

Prime minister Harper has consistently said that doesn't want to reopen the abortion debate. He has discouraged backbench MPs from putting forward any legislation with regard to abortion and his office was recently accused of muzzling MPs about the issue.

Apparently the ban extends to not releasing a statement about the death of Morgentaler?

[ Related: Canada would be very different for women if not for Morgentaler: advocate ]

By contrast, other political parties have released statements:

Here is the NDP statement:

Today, we lost a great man, Doctor Henry Morgentaler. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones. We salute his courage, perseverance and dedication. He gave help to many women, and thanks to his actions, they were free to exercise their fundamental right to choose for themselves. Dr. Morgentaler was honoured with the Order of Canada for his tireless efforts over nearly half a century – putting his life and freedom at risk – so that Canadian women could have access to safe abortion services. 25 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in his favour, declaring the old abortion law unconstitutional. Unfortunately, even today, access to abortion remains unequal and we must remain vigilant against repeated attempts to roll back this right. New Democrats will continue to defend a woman’s right to choose.

And, here's a Tweet from Liberal leader Justin Trudeau:

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne also commented:

"Our country has lost a man of great courage, conviction and personal bravery.

Due in large part to his efforts and advocacy, women in Ontario and across Canada have the right to control their reproductive choices. Although the path he chose was not easy, he dedicated himself to ensuring that women had access to safe medical abortions.

His contributions to a fair society have been felt around the globe, and my thoughts are with his friends and family at this time."

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