Home · Politics · The Constitution · Dr. Henry Morgentaler: Fighting Canada's Abortion Laws
Topic spans: 1969 - 1989
Dr. Henry Morgentaler: Fighting Canada's Abortion Laws
In 1969 Dr. Henry Morgentaler emerged as one of Canada's most controversial figures when he broke the law and opened the country's first abortion clinic. Over the next two decades, the Montreal doctor would be heralded as a hero by some and called a murderer by others as he fought to change Canada's abortion laws.
Topic photo by Ian Barrett/Canadian Press
16 television clips
2 radio clips
Abortion law ruled unconstitutional
Broadcast Date: Jan. 28, 1988
On Jan. 28, 1988, Henry Morgentaler wins his long fight. The Supreme Court of Canada strikes down Canada's abortion law as unconstitutional. The law is found to violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms because it infringes upon a woman's right to "life, liberty and security of person."Abortion law ruled unconstitutional
• In March 1989 the Supreme Court of Canada refused to decide on a claim by Joe Borowski that fetuses have a constitutionally guaranteed right to life. Since the abortion law had already been struck down in 1988, his case was found to be moot.• In 1990 the government tried to bring back some form of criminal control over abortion but Bill C-43 was defeated narrowly in the Senate.
Abortion law ruled unconstitutional
Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: Jan. 28, 1988
Guest(s): Kathleen Lahey, Laura MacArthur, Henry Morgentaler
Host: Knowlton Nash
Reporter: Ian Hanomansing
Duration: 2:58
Last updated:
June 26, 2002
Activez le Javascript sur votre navigateur...
18 clips in this topic . page
Television
4:15
March 4, 1982
Women's rights groups pop open champagne as Bertha Wilson becomes the first female justice on the Supreme Court of Canada.
Radio
25:09
Janet Rossant discusses the ethical guidelines published by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) in 2007.
Topic from Radio-Canada
For Teachers - Educational activities
- All GradesDr. Morgentaler and the Abortion Debate
- 9-10Why Anti-Abortion? Why Pro-Abortion?
- 9-10Abortion and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- 11-12Morgentaler in His Own Words
- 11-12Evaluating Web Sites in the Abortion Debate
- 11-12Exploring Media: Understanding and Identifying Editorial Perspective in Television and Radio News
Abortion law ruled unconstitutional.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: June 26, 2002.
[Page consulted on Feb. 12, 2012.]