As the G8 summit approaches on home turf, one divisive issue continues to dominate the headlines: maternal health.
The Conservative government has said it will not fund access to abortions as part of its global G8 initiative on maternal health, a stance that has drawn ire from member nations, opposition critics and aid organizations who say that safe and legal abortions reduce pregnancy-related deaths.
The debate has taken on more turns as Conservative senator Nancy Ruth, a pro-choice feminist, offered some choice words of advice for those opposed to the government stance – stay quiet, and it’ll all work out. And not to mention the continuing political fallout.
Is the Harper government taking the rights steps for maternal health? Or should it be re-examining the initiative in light of recent criticism? What does this renewed debate say about the state of maternal health in Canada and around the world? Should critics be more vocal in their opposition, or lay low as Ms. Ruth suggests?
Join the conversation Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET as Globe writers Judith Timson (“Ottawa to refuse abortion funding? Not in my name”) and Jane Taber (“Senator’s profanity reveals Tory ‘culture of intimidation,’ critics say”) tackle the thorny issue live on globeandmail.com
