So who is “he” in the quote?

He maintained that politics is about values, starting with moral values. The primary guardians of these values are not states or political organizations but free individuals endowed with a sense of responsibility.

It was actually Vaclav Havel, dissident, writer and former President of the Czech Republic. Hmmmm, I would have thought we were all deeply tuned in to the 25-year anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in Czech Republic. I went to an event in Prague once and heard Havel speak, in person. Amazing memory of Prague Castle. That I should even have a memory of Prague Castle strikes me as amazing. I digress… will save the walking down memory lane for a different post.

Vaclav Havel is someone I want to read more. Moral values are out of style somehow these days. I think he is right–everything is about morality–and we ignore that at our peril.

[Tweet “Madeleine Albright said the west didn’t win the Cold War, but rather that Communism fell.”]

I’m paraphrasing her words from a commemorative event this morning. That is an interesting sentiment, and she may be right, given what we are seeing from Putin in Russia these days.

Does this have anything to do with abortion? Only peripherally. Anytime is a good time to remind you that PWPL is a blog for pro-life women (and women who want to be pro-life but need a little time) who are interested in any manner of different things, including the history of totalitarianism.

(Your friendly PWPL founder is, in any case. She feels comforted at gatherings where a larger than usual percentage of people speak English with a strong Czech accent. In a pinch, any slavic accent will do. True.)

He maintained that politics is about values, starting with moral values. The primary guardians of these values are not states or political organizations but free individuals endowed with a sense of responsibility.”

[Tweet “What politician might say politics is about moral values? Step right up and take a guess!”] (No googling.) 

I will reveal the answer shortly.

So more news and confusion about abortion and the law in Canada:

Federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau thinks Prince Edward Islanders should be asking questions to make sure the Canada Health Act is being respected in regards to a recent decision to cut short planning for an abortion clinic on the Island. […]

“I think people are going to be rightly asking questions to make sure the Canada Health Act is being respected, and that Canadians have the opportunity to make choices about their own reproductive health,” said Trudeau.

For the record, the Canada Health Act does NOT require provinces to provide or fund abortions. For details, you can read this short paper on this very topic.

photo credit: RobertCiavarro via photopin cc

Over three decades ago in Ottawa, there was a municipal government push toward accessibility for the disabled. Sidewalks were lowered at intersections to accommodate wheelchairs, elevators were mandated in all public buildings as were ramps. This approach to life came with onerous expenses in some cases, but no matter: Compassion is costly. These were all thought to be progressive and humane approaches to living in a community that cared. They were also approaches to community living that came from the left of the political spectrum.

The Ontario Human Rights Code states that every person in Ontario has the right to equal treatment with respect to services, goods and facilities, without discrimination because of a disability. Every province has a similar statement and of course, this protection exists federally.

Oddly enough, this equality may be the very thing that disabled people end up using to ensure they have access to death on their terms.

The left and the right have taken odd turns in recent years. Those advocating for the disabled and the elderly are now seemingly on the right, standing firm against assisted death even when it’s deceptively cloaked in palliative care. Especially when it’s deceptively cloaked in palliative care.

It is worth asking whether progressives are on the right now.

Compassion is still being meted out, but as always, compassion is costly. There is a personal cost to accompanying and accommodating someone who needs assistance. But true compassion affirms the dignity of every person, regardless of cost.

Of course debates about left and right and compassion are fraught with difficulty–everyone is playing the compassion card. But it used to be that the left said “to heck with the cost,” in order to achieve compassion. Maybe some still do.

As Canada considers legalizing assisted suicide, we ought to be ever reminded that killing is not a compassionate measure, no matter what side of the political spectrum presents the option.

The frightening prospect of legalized euthanasia seems to be coming at Canadians like a tidal wave.

It has already happened in Quebec this summer when euthanasia was legalized thanks to the efforts of Ms. Hivon.

“The approach we took was one of health care. We should not leave anybody suffering at any stage, so why would it be okay at the end of life” she is quoted as saying in a Globe and Mail article on October 9th. “Our bill is about people who are ill and who are suffering and who need to have their pain alleviated.”

Unfortunately “alleviating suffering” for Ms. Hivon is synonymous with murder.

Yesterday the Supreme Court heard testimonies on why assisted suicide should or should not be a human right.

Government lawyers defending the Criminal Code prohibition of euthanasia were grilled by the Supreme Court Justices. According to one source, Joe Arvay for the Carter side (read pro-assisted suicide/euthanasia) had the court’s ear a bit too much.

In a recent Globe article, Prof. Jocelyn Downie a known, avid pro-euthanasia advocate: “The issue of provincial jurisdiction is squarely in front of the court.”

If the Supreme Court does rule that the Criminal Code prohibition against assisted suicide is unconstitutional, Prof. Downie says that the federal government will then “know what it can and cannot do in drafting the new legislation that will be necessary.” Simply put, the Federal Government won’t have a leg to stand on and euthanasia/assisted suicide will be the order of the day.