.- A national phone poll of Canadian households claims that 55.8 percent of Canadians oppose the bestowal of the Order of Canada upon Henry Morgentaler, an abortionist who helped to legalize abortion in the country.
The poll, which was commissioned by the Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) and performed by the Manitoba-based KLRVU polling, claims to have a 95 percent confidence level and a 1.5 percent margin of error.
"Whatever side of the abortion debate you are on, many Canadians from all walks of life felt this appointment went way too far and offended too many," said Jim Hughes National President of CLC. "The mass media coverage of the Morgentaler award has given us the largest abortion debate this country has seen in twenty years, and Canadians when they are forced to think about abortion realize it is horrible."
The CLC has urged Canadians to call the Governor General’s office to insist that the award be revoked.
Opposition to the award was at or above 65 percent in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island. The least opposition to Morgentaler’s elevation to the Order of Canada was found in Quebec, where only 47 percent opposed the award.
"Clearly the waves of offended Canadians speaking out have had an impact," says Mary Ellen Douglas, CLC National Organizer, who pointed out that a former lieutenant governor has returned his medal and disavowed the Order of Canada because of its bestowal upon Morgentaler.
