Bishop ‘dismayed’ as abortion doctor receives public honor

Ottawa, Canada, Aug 29, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ president expressed great dismay that Canada’s most notorious abortion doctor received a prestigious national award earlier this month.

Dr. Henry Morgentaler received the 2005 Couchiching Award for Public Policy Leadership Aug. 5, during the 74th annual Couchiching Conference. The award was sponsored by SunLife Financial.

“How someone who has led a movement that causes the death of approximately 100,000 innocent persons a year in Canada can be said to ‘have had a positive impact on Canada or a community within Canada’ defies the imagination,” said Archbishop Brendan O’Brien.

The award is presented to “a nationally recognized Canadian who has demonstrated leadership in a public policy field, often in the face of public opposition, and whose initiatives have had a positive impact on Canada or a community within Canada.” 

Archbishop O’Brien expressed the hope that the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, which describes itself as “Canada’s largest, oldest and most influential public affairs forum”, will find recipients in the future who are more worthy of its award.

This was the second public honor for Morgentaler this year. In June the Western University recognized him with an honorary doctorate. The university proceeded with the award despite protests from faith leaders and pro-life citizens.