In a speech to the Commission on Population and Development at the UN a Canadian official endorsed language in international documents that has been used in the past to try to force nations to legalize abortion.
The speech was disappointing news to pro-life and pro-family advocates at the UN who had hoped the new Conservative administration in Canada would result in a family-friendly delegation in New York.
Brian Grant, the Director-General of International and Intergovernmental Relations, Citizenship and Immigration in the Canadian federal government spoke to the Commission on Tuesday.
In five instances Grant called on UN officials to “achieve,” provide “access” to, or “to address” the “sexual and reproductive health and rights” of the world’s population.
In UN parlance, such language is used to refer to abortion, the distribution of contraceptives to minors and even legalized prostitution.
Leading pro-abortion NGOs have long asserted that documents guaranteeing “sexual and reproductive health and rights” create an international right to abortion.
The recent election victory in Canada of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his pro-life-leaning Conservative party led many to hope that Canada’s representation at the UN would change. But the delegation’s acts this past week indicate no progress has been made in that direction.
Also, weeks ago Harper selected Peter MacKay to be Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
MacKay is known to be one of the more pro-abortion and anti-family members of the Conservative Party caucus in the House of Commons. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will have a great say in the future direction of the Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN.
[Friday Fax Vol 9, No. 16, 7 Apr06, By Bradford Short, C-Fam]