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For Immediate Release
February 3, 2010

Physicians group commends Prime Minister Harper’s Maternal and Child Health initiative

Efforts must focus on reshaping society to value women and children rather than on reshaping women through abortion

(OTTAWA) - We commend Prime Minister Harper’s initiative to improve Maternal and Child Health in the developing world.

The evidence shows that investments in primary care, food security, clean water, affordable transport, and literacy are the most effective strategies.

It is ill-advised for some Canadians to attempt to export our culture of mass abortion to countries without the most basic health services for women and children. We have learned from our tragic experience with exporting formula feeding in the developing world that this type of cultural imperialism brings illness and death to the most vulnerable. Let us not use the deeply divisive issue of abortion to deny vulnerable women and children the basics of life that they both need and deserve.

We call for a cessation of efforts that focus on reshaping women (like abortion), and call instead for efforts that focus on reshaping societies to value women and children.

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For further comment, please contact:
Will Johnston, MD
President, Canadian Physicians for Life
ph: 613-728-5433
email: info@physiciansforlife.ca