Harper and the "Mexico City Policy"

As much as abortion upsets me personally, as much as I think the issue should be debated (as Canada is one of the few countries with no law whatsoever), the approach being taken by Stephen Harper -- that he won't rock the boat here but none of our foreign aid money will be used for abortions in Third World countries, or even to promote the procedure -- is disingenuous at best and outright stupid at worst.   Can he really expect us to think we can have it both ways?    Are we going to have our own version of the "Mexico City Policy" after all?

In a idealistic world, no unmarried person would have sex voluntarily and no person would ever be subjected to sexual assault.    But this isn't an ideal world and abortion, while I think it is evil, has to remain a necessary and legal evil.   Consigning 70,000 women in other countries to death sentences while thousands, even tens of thousands, of women here can get therapeutic reproductive services without question is a double standard.

Whose advice Mr. Harper has been taking, and why is he so bound and determined to undermine Canada's reputation in the world -- first for the environment, and now on women's health?

For that matter, why have governments of all stripes have taken contradictory positions on all sorts of issues -- asbestos, seal pelts, overfishing?    Why the whole us versus them mentality?    Isn't this the same planet we all share?

I do think the Liberals really dropped the ball on this one weeks ago when it didn't know how to crack the whip and when.    Then again, if we're going to be discussing the issue, let's have a proper debate in Parliament and not a decision made by executive order without giving MPs a chance to even review the draft regulations.

We've already lost face with the Palestinians (the peaceful ones, that is), now with poor women.    What is Harper's next move?    Oh, let's see ... banning women from the workplace.   Then taking away their right to vote.  That'll really go over well.

We want and should have faith based politicians, but that doesn't mean that should lead to faith based politics.    Canada hasn't been a Dominion for decades and we don't need Dominionism (i.e. "Kingdom Now") for the present or the future.

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