I accept that R. Nobert went through a very traumatic experience when his wife gave birth.
We don’t know the history of his wife including if she had previous uterine surgery such as a Caesarean section but a uterus does not normally rupture giving birth. In fact, pregnancy only presents as a threat to a mother’s life in 0.005 per cent of cases. Pregnancy is the normal, natural way in which the human species reproduces. Abortion is an unnatural act in that it interrupts a normal sequence of events. It puts the mother at risk for infection, haemorrhage, sterility and depression. Abortion has been linked to breast cancer and cardiac infections. This is under normal, safe conditions. Haiti could not be considered a normal surgical situation this year.
In disaster situations priorities have to be made about what emergency services are needed. In the case of Haiti I would imagine that food, water, shelter and emergency services were the top four. As a woman/mother, my top needs would be to obtain those services for myself or any family member in need. I would be more concerned with finding and caring for my children, not obtaining an abortion. Having any service group focus on providing abortion takes needed medical staff away from meeting the basic health care needs of the Haitians.
One can only surmise that Michael Ignatieff made his protest regarding the provision of abortion for political reasons, as he knows Stephen Harper is likely just as pro abortion as he is.
I find it ironic that we are trying to export our culture of death to a group of people who have just stared death in the face and are struggling just to survive and live.
Anne Wansink, RN, St. Albert
