Protesting the Funding of Abortion

by Faith Codee Woltz

Honking cars, chanting and speeches were heard early Oct. 13 as protesters gathered in front of Essex County’s MPP Taras Natyshak’s office.

Homemade posters expressed the protesters’ feelings of having their tax dollars being used to fund abortions through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

Abortions have been provided since 1969. Dianne Poisson, 51, the organizer of this rally said the purpose is to have the Ontario government delist abortions as an essential medical procedure.

 “Many procedures are being delisted from OHIP but abortion remains as a medically covered secret. We are in a democratic society,” said Poisson. “We believe that many do not agree with our money being used for abortions. Forty per cent are repeat abortions which are used as a birth control method.”

Poisson says the health care system is cash starved and the money spent on abortions needs to be diverted to other more essential services.

“We could purchase 20 MRI machines every year with the 30 plus million dollars that is being spent on abortions,” said Poisson. “In Ontario we could have 200 more doctors, 400 more nurses. We could have 500 autistic children, their needs met.”

Alexandra Jezierski, 17, a student protester said she wants to see restrictions on abortion.

“We strongly disagree with our future tax money going to fund abortions when it’s a life ending instead of a life giving procedure,” said Jezierski. “As our elected representative we want to let him know that we want abortions to be defunded.”

Taras Natyshak MPP of Essex was unavailable for comment.

Protester Virginia Nelson, 63, said she believes taxpayer money should be used for the benefit of society as a whole.

“Abortion I find to be an extremely offensive procedure to me,” said Nelson. “And it’s clouded. There’s no information. Now you can’t access any information about what’s going on.”

Bill 122 is a bill that was introduced in January 2012, the bill makes changes to the Freedom of Information Act. Since this bill was passed taxpayers are no longer allowed information about abortion statistics.

“That means that if any organization or person requests information regarding abortion numbers in Ontario that we are refused,” said Poisson. “This is based on the fact that it is considered a private matter and that it is not information that now needs to be provided to anyone in Ontario.”

There were other rallies locally in Windsor-West and Windsor East.