Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

No peace until life protected — Gervais

OTTAWA — Political leaders including Prime Minister Jean Chretien know there is no peace in Canada on the abortion issue and that "there will be no peace until we protect life," says Archbishop Marcel Gervais.

"They know you are not fooled," the archbishop of Ottawa told the hundreds of people gathered for the annual pro-life Mass held outdoors at the Lourdes Grotto in Vanier, Ont., May 31.

Gervais admitted in his homily that he caused "a bit of a sensation" last year by criticizing Catholic politicians who are pro-choice and said "tonight's (homily) will not."

Nevertheless, he criticized Health Minister Allan Rock and the federal government for failing to take action to protect the unborn.

"Who would have thought that abortion would become one of the key issues in the last election?" he asked. "Even though the matter remains unresolved and there is still no law to protect the unborn, political leaders including the prime minister have taken notice."

Gervais said he watched Rock on a television news program that morning saying the government wants to force tobacco companies to remove adjectives such as "mild" and "light" from cigarette packages because all cigarettes are potentially deadly.

"In watching him, I thought, 'Right on,'" Gervais said. "He is doing what a health minister should be doing."

But he added, "Why is he not doing this same type of thing to prevent more women from having abortions? Why does the government continue to say that abortion is okay, normal? Why is it not addressing the issue?"

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