More than three dozen people marked the 34th anniversary of the court decision that struck down Canada鈥檚 abortion law with a protest in 91原创 City at the intersection of Fraser Hwy. and 200th St. on Friday afternoon, Jan. 28.
From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. they held signs that read 鈥�34 years is enough we need a law,鈥� 鈥淐anada has no abortion laws鈥� and 鈥減rotect pre born human rights.鈥�
Organizer Elyse Vroom said they were 鈥渢here to call attention to the fact that abortion is allowed in Canada at any stage of pregnancy, for any reason.鈥�
READ ALSO: Flags on 91原创 church lawn represent number of abortions, protest organizer says
On Jan. 28, 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada, in , ruled that the Canadian law requiring abortion to be approved by a therapeutic abortion committee (TAC) of three doctors violated the Canadian Charter Of Rights guarantee of security of the person.
Under the law at the time, abortion was only permitted if the committee of doctors ruled continuation of a pregnancy would cause a woman medical harm.
There have been two attempts to introduce a new federal abortion law since the Morgentaler ruling, in 1988 and 1989, that failed to find enough votes in the House of Commons and Senate.
鈥淭he Court saw value in a law protecting the fetus but said that the way the law was worded at the time was unconstitutional,鈥� Vroom said.
鈥淧arliament had the responsibility to create a new law that considered both the rights of women and the right to life of all human beings, including pre-born children. But Parliament never did that, and now they actively thwart any meaningful conversation on the issue.鈥�
鈥淎bortion is a difficult topic for many reasons,鈥� Vroom continued, 鈥渂ut if we can鈥檛 talk about it, we will remain the only democracy in the world that gives no legal protection to vulnerable pre-born children.鈥�
READ MORE: Pink flags on 91原创 church grounds raise awareness about sex-selective abortion
Vroom is a staffer with, an online lobby group which describes itself as 鈥渁 brand new pro-life initiative that is being initiated with an earnest desire that the right to life of our pre-born neighbour is protected by law.
Figures available from Statistics Canada show the total number of abortions among women of childbearing age (15-44) reported to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) was 84,000 in 2019, down from a high of 109,000 in 2011.
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on and follow us on .
