From an email from 4 MY Canada:
As you know from our updates, over the summer the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons debated a draft that would have forced doctors to perform abortions under the threat of being taken to a Human Rights Tribunal. This draft was met with overwhelming opposition in both the media and in responses to the College, and the draft was rejected in early September and is currently being re-written so that it does not violate a doctor's freedom of conscience. However, in the Ontario College's feedback, they stated that the Manitoba College of Physicians "indicated that it has been dealing with similar issues, and may amend its Discrimination in Access to Physicians policy (currently in development), to accord with our draft policy." At the same time, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta tabled a Standards of Practise draft that clearly states that if adopted, doctors will not be allowed to refuse to perform or give referrals for abortions or birth control.
Below is Section 8 of the Standards of Practise Draft that is being debated by the Alberta College of Physicians:
8 Termination of Pregnancy and Birth Control
(1) Even if a physician's religious or personal convictions prevent the physician from advising or offering care regarding birth control or termination of a pregnancy, the physician must ensure that the patient who seeks such advice or medical care is offered access to information and assistance in making an informed decision and access to available medical options.
(2) A physician must not only perform a procedure or provide a prescription for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy, with the exception of the emergency contraceptive, unless the physician holds privileges in a hospital or in an accredited non-hospital surgical facility for that procedure.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta is holding face to face meetings with physicians in Edmonton (October 6th) and Calgary (October 16th) to discuss their Standards of Practice Draft which threatens freedom of conscience for doctors in Alberta. If you or a physician you know would like to attend one of these meetings, please e-mail standards_of_practice@cpsa.ab.ca to reserve a space (seating is limited but if they get enough of a response they will hold more meetings). They are also accepting written feedback from doctors in Alberta until October 22nd, which can be forwarded to standards_of_practice@cpsa.ab.ca.
Action Points:
Write a letter to the editor. This was extremely effective in Ontario where the first anti-freedom of conscience draft was being debated this summer. You can use our letter to the editor tool to send your article to multiple newspapers at once! Click here to write a letter now.
Inform your doctor about this and let them know about the meetings (if you are in Alberta). If you are outside of Alberta, your doctor may know doctors within Alberta, and also if it passes in Alberta or Manitoba it will affect doctors across Canada.
Pray. Pray that the media will oppose this and other drafts that threaten freedom of conscience and religion. Pray that Member of Parliament are elected that will oppose this and other Human Rights drafts and tribunals, and that the Motions to investigate the Human Rights Commissions in Canada are re-introduced in the next Parliament.
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