June 24, 2023 will mark the one year anniversary of the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the Dobbs, State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health v Jackson Women’s Health Organization case.

The Supreme Court’s overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling is a historic decision. It provides encouragement for many Americans who have worked and hoped for years that one day Roe would be overturned. After more than 63 million abortions in the United States since 1973, the day finally arrived.

The Court found no right to abortion in the Constitution. It returned the matter to the States and to the people. In many states, abortion continues to be legal and easily available, in others, it is restricted or banned. The court’s decision does not outlaw abortion.

Roe was bad law, deeply flawed, based on a fabricated right to privacy.

Americans now have the opportunity to build a culture of life, restore protection for unborn children and convince their fellow Americans that human life is of equal value in the womb and outside the womb.

While the decision overturning Roe v. Wade is encouraging, it has no implication for Canada and will have no impact on access to abortion here. It is a law for the United States not Canada.

There have been almost 5 million abortions in Canada since 1969. Our Supreme Court in the Morgentaler decision of 1988 did not find a constitutional right to abortion. It recognized that Parliament could enact legislation and that the state had a legitimate interest in the protection of the unborn child.  The 1969 law was struck down for procedural inequities related to the operation of hospital abortion committees.  These inequities were found to be in violation of the “security of person”, section 7 of the Charter.

Abortion is a difficult decision for many women because it involves another human being, her unborn child. Address the circumstances that make a pregnancy difficult. What support doe she need to carry her pregnancy to term and what support does she need after the birth of her child? Is she being pressured to have an abortion? By the father of the child, by her family and friends? Society can offer life affirming help to women facing unintended pregnancies. You are not alone. There are pregnancy centres in Ottawa providing compassionate support to women.

Our work continues as before. We too hope that one day human life will be respected and protected at all stages. Our voice is in defence of life. Our goal is to change hearts and minds.