Cuts to Canadian Federation for Sexual Health show Harper can't be trusted with maternal health

As a Liberal, and a member of the Pro-Choice Coalition of Ottawa, I am very pleased to see Michael Ignatieff take a stand for choice by pressuring the Prime Minister on the issue of maternal health at the G8.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/bureau-blog/include-abortion-in-maternal-health-pledge-michael-ignatieff-tells-pm/article1453666/

"We want to make sure that women have access to all the contraceptive methods available to control their fertility because we don’t want to have women dying because of botched procedures, we don’t want to have women dying in misery.”

In the face of moves like this, it is crucial to keep the pressure up on the Harper social conservative agenda:

http://www.theinterim.com/features/ottawa-cuts-funding-for-cfsh/

An Interim investigation has found that over the past half decade, the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health has had its federal government grants cut by more than 99 per cent.
The federation, formerly the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada and still the Canadian member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, has charitable status, according to the Canada Revenue Agency. The CFSH says on its website that it “promote(s) sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and abroad.” It also admits being a “pro-choice organization.”

And just in case Harper's piano-playing ways have made anyone forget his real secret agenda, lets let his caucus speak for him:
http://www.liberal.ca/en/newsroom/media-releases/17427_liberals-ask-harper-to-keep-ideology-out-of-maternal-health-initiative

October 2009 - Brad Trost, Conservative MP, Saskatoon-Humboldt launches a Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood:“Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present in the House today petitions... They are calling upon this House to promote the values they cherish, which are Canadian values in support of pre-born life. They are particularly calling upon the Government of Canada to stop the funding of Planned Parenthood by CIDA, the Canadian International Development Agency, believing that CIDA should be concentrating on dealing with fighting poverty instead of concentrating on destroying human life.” (MP Brad Trost, Hansard, October 5, 2009)

“In Trost's opinion, the government has continued funding IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) because of ‘inertia.’ ‘The bureaucracy's done it before and no one wants to rock the boat,’ he explained. ‘... I'm encouraging people to let their voice be spoken so that the unelected government, i.e. the bureaucrats in CIDA who support Planned Parenthood, don't get to dictate where people's tax dollars go.’ He is encouraging people to write the Prime Minister and CIDA's Minister, Bev Oda. He would like those who write ‘not only to oppose it because abortion is wrong, period, but also because there's other better ways to spend ... Canadian international development aid money.” (Lifesitenews.com, November 2, 2009)

“[Conservative MP Brad Trost] presented a petition in the House calling for CIDA to stop funding IPPF saying it ‘promotes the establishment of abortion as an international human right and lobbies aggressively to impose permissive abortion laws on developing nations.’” (Saskatoon Leader Post, November 4, 2009)

Maurice Vellacott, Conservative MP, Saskatoon – Wanuskewin:“Saskatoon's doctors should be commended for the leadership they are showing by reducing the availability of abortion in our city and for supporting real alternatives for women in need.” (MP Maurice Vellacott, “Outspoken MP Slams Canada’s ‘Abortion Regime,’ LifeSiteNews.com, November 27, 2009)

“[MP Maurice Vellacott] says pro-life feminists view abortion as ‘part of a male agenda to have women more sexually available,’ and adds abortion has been used to cover up the sexual abuse of young girls.” (Saskatoon Star Phoenix, November 24, 2009)

Stockwell Day, Conservative MP, Okanagan Coquihalla:“The thinking is, if you can cut a child to pieces or burn them alive with salt solution while they're still in the womb, what's wrong with knocking them around a little when they're outside the womb?” (MP Stockwell Day arguing in 1988 that abortion leads to child abuse, Edmonton Journal, March 10, 2000).

Jim Flaherty, Conservative MP , Whitby-Oshawa:“On abortion services he [Jim Flaherty] said, ‘I would not change that status quo. Would I expand it? No. . . . I would not authorize the creation of any more clinics.’” (LifeSite Daily News, February 11, 2002)

Jason Kenney, Conservative MP, Calgary Southeast:“Mr. Harper’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has compared abortion to child abuse and slavery, saying that if politicians refuse to take a political stand against abortion, people should ‘ask them if they're personally opposed to child abuse, ask them if they're personally opposed to slavery.’” (Canadian Catholic News, May 24, 2004)

Cheryl Gallant, Conservative MP, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke:"We saw that young American (in Iraq) have his head literally cut off in front of the cameras, but what's happening down there is absolutely no different!" (MP Cheryl Gallant referring to an abortion clinic, CBC, May 13, 2004)

Garry Breitkreuz, Conservative MP, Yorkton Melville:Mr. Breitkreuz introduced Private Members Bill M-83 in the House of Commons: “That the Standing Committee on Health fully examine, study and report to Parliament on: (a) whether or not abortions are medically necessary for the purpose of maintaining health, preventing disease or diagnosing or treating an injury, illness or disability; and (b) the health risks for women undergoing abortions compared to women carrying their babies to full term.” (Private Member’s Business, voted on October 1, 2003)

“Since sending me to Ottawa in 1993, I’ve been working on two issues vital to the vast majority of my constituents – democratic reform and rights for the unborn.” (MP Garry Breitkreuz News Release, March 31, 2003)

“In 1996, Breitkreuz called for a national referendum on tax-funding for abortions.” (MP Garry Breitkreuz News Release, March 14, 1996)

Gary Goodyear, Conservative MP, Cambridge:“‘I always have hope, I'll never give up hope,’ Goodyear added after calling on anti-abortion groups to continue striving for a new law.” (The Standard, May 12, 2006)

"I'm pro-life and that's the answer to the question." (MP Gary Goodyear, Cambridge Times Friday, June 11, 2004)

Rob Nicholson, Conservative MP, Niagara Falls:“When this issue was before the House the last time I voted against the bill. I could not in good conscience give approval to something that I have always fought against in my life. I have fought for the protection of unborn children and I fought against the abortion law that was in place in Canada for many years.” (MP Rob Nicholson, Hansard, May 23, 1990)

Vic Toews, Conservative MP, Provencher:“Vic Toews told the National Pro-Life Conference on Sept. 8, 2004, in a speech entitled ‘Abuse of the Charter by the Supreme Court,’ that the right to abortion is a result of ‘activist judges’ abusing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to develop and implement their own social policy... ‘Do not look at the issue of abortion as an issue that stands alone... this issue has a much broader significance in areas related to the policy of government concerning marriage, the family, and the response of government to social problems generally.’ (Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, http://www.arcc-cdac.ca/action/conservative-danger.html)

With a government that has vocal anti-choicers in the critical positions of the Minister of Justice, Minister of State for Science, Minister of Finance, Minister of Immigration, President of Treasury Board, Minister of Public Safety and others, I applaud Michael Ignatieff for standing up for choice.