Canada’s G8 Health Plan To Exclude Abortion -- April 27, 2010

After months of confusion and conjecture whether abortion would be included in Canada’s G8 family planning initiative, the government announced yesterday that Canada would not be funding abortions.  Prime Minister Steven Harper announced in late 2009 that as host of the next G8 summit, Canada would champion maternal and child health in developing countries.  However, until Monday the government had not made any comment on whether abortion would be included in the programs.

The first statement regarding the government’s position came during question period when parliamentary secretary Jim Abbott responded to a question by Bloc Quebecois MP Johanne Deschamps.  Later in the day, International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda said that the government would consider funding family planning measures such as contraception but under no circumstances would they include abortion.  Oda was in Halifax meeting with her G8 counterparts and stated “We're saying that we're using the definition in our discussions of family planning, which does not include abortion.  We're not debating abortion; we're clarifying family planning.

Liberal MP Bob Rae stated that the government has taken an ideological stand on the issue and has reopened the abortion debate in Canada.  “We are saying to the countries that are the poorest: 'We won't apply the law that we have in Canada'" Ray said.  NDP MP Paul Dewar contends that the government stance will cause problems with other nations at the G8 nations at the summit in Huntsville Ontario this summer. 

Oda denies this however, saying her counterparts all support the Canadian initiative.  “There is no division on what it includes or not include,” she said.  “Canada's initiative, that they support, is saving the lives of mothers and children under the age of five, and that does not mean supporting abortions."

Just last month US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the health initiative much include free and open access to safe and legal abortion.  International health and women's groups have also said any omission of abortion would be at odds with the G8's established goals at previous summits.  Canadian officials say they will instead focus the G8 plan on other measures aimed at improving the health of women and children in poor countries — including safe drinking water and vaccination programs.

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