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Father Raymond J. de Souza wrote an excellent opinion column for today's National Post. Unfortunately, it's behind the subscriber wall, so I can't link to the whole thing. I do, however, have a dead-tree edition of the newspaper, so I can tell you about it.
Uniquely among the world's democracies, Canada has no limits whatever on elective abortion.
Our public policy–no restriction on taxpayer-funded abortion at any time during gestation–is unmatched by any other democracy. Save for Chinese-style mandatory abortions, it would not be possible for Canada to be more extreme in its abortion licence.
Polls show that 52% of Canadians want some restrictions on the procedure.
During the election campaign, Stephen Harper said his view on abortion was "complex", but told Maclean's this week that he has no intention of raising the issue. So, what did Mr Harper mean when he said his view was complex? It is unlikely that he meant that it cannot be explained. It more likely means that he is part of the majority that favours some restrictions. So, why is he refusing to raise the issue? Does he just want to avoid the controversy?
Mr Harper's commitment to inaction is de facto support for the "polar extreme" he says he does not favour. His "moderate" position is therefore to do nothing to challenge the status quo that the majority of Canadians oppose.
Given that Mr Harper is not shy about challenging the status quo on other issues–the gun registry, Kyoto, daycare, marriage–his position on abortion invites only two conclusions, neither of them flattering. Either he supports abortion on demand, but thinks there is political gain in dissembling; or he simply thinks the whole matter not important enough to do something about.
Mr Harper should state his view more forthrightly than he has done thus far. This issue is not going to go away.
