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Bishop disappointed in legalization of ‘abortion pill,’ proponents claim victory for women’s rights

THUNDER BAY – The bishop of the city’s Roman Catholic diocese says he is saddened the death of an African lion is generating more outrage than the federal approval of a drug that would terminate pregnancies.
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Bishop Fred Colli (Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY – The bishop of the city’s Roman Catholic diocese says he is saddened the death of an African lion is generating more outrage than the federal approval of a drug that would terminate pregnancies.

Earlier this week Health Canada announced it had approved RU-486, which is commonly known as the abortion pill, after a two and a half year process.

The pill has been used in France for 25 years, legal in the United States for 15 years and the World Health Organization has listed it as an essential medicine.

But Bishop Fred Colli questions why more people are angry over the killing in Zimbabwe of Cecil the lion at the hands of a hunter from Minnesota than the pill, which has been hailed by many as a major step forward for women's rights.

“For me, maybe this is one more thing in our society that diminishes, I believe, our respect for human life itself,” he said on Friday.

“Everybody is making comments about how that hunter should be thrown in jail for what he’s done yet when innocent human life is taken there doesn’t seem to be that much of an uproar in our society. I find that somewhat sad.”

While the pill has been approved, doctors still have national ethics standards protection that they can refuse to perform an abortion. In Ontario, doctors will be able to refuse to prescribe RU-486.

The pill, which will be branded as Mifegymiso in Canada, is considered one of the safest and most effective non-surgical abortion methods.

The pill is composed of two drugs, one which stops the production of the essential pregnancy hormone progesterone and another which prompts the uterus to shed tissue, basically triggering a miscarriage.

Colli is troubled that it makes the abortion process easier and trivializes the gravity of the situation.

“I believe (abortion) is a horrible thing and this is going to make it very simplistic, I guess, which would again diminish what is really happening or the understanding of what’s happening when abortion takes place,” he said.

“I think the abortion pill is one more step in our society today of saying we can do away with human life very easily.”

The local bishop isn’t the only person to have misgivings about the pill being approved.

A number of Conservative cabinet ministers, such as Justice Minister Peter MacKay and Defence Minister Jason Kenney, declined to comment on the pill being approved. Even Health Minister Rona Ambrose attempted to distance herself, saying the process was conducted by Health Canada scientists and she had no role or input.

Vicki Saporta, president and chief executive officer of the National Abortion Federation and NAF Canada, told The Canadian Press earlier this week the pill will only likely be available through health-care professionals who already perform abortion services.

The pill is not expected to be available until at least early 2016.

"Mifepristone holds the promise of improving access to abortion care for women in more rural communities where there isn't a current abortion provider," she said.

Colli said he is hoping legislation will be enacted that would restrict the use and distribution of the pill.

“I would hope and pray it only be used in the most extreme cases, if it is at all necessary to be used and deemed necessary. I would like to think there would be many restrictions on its use and dissemination and availability.”


 





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