The Canadian Government has been accused of “western cultural imperialism”, after it pledged to fund abortions in developing world countries.
Roman Catholic Archbishop Cardinal Thomas Collins wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, expressing “deep concern and disappointment” that Canada has pledged $650 million to enable access to abortion.
In his letter to Trudeau, Cardinal Collins said it is “arrogant for powerful, wealthy nations to dictate what priorities developing countries should embrace”.
‘Arrogant’
Archbishop Collins was supported by another senior cleric, Bishop Crosby, who said:
“Such a policy is a reprehensible example of western cultural imperialism and an attempt to impose misplaced but so-called Canadian ‘values’ on other nations and people”.
“It negates our country’s laudable efforts to welcome refugees and offer protection to the world’s homeless, when the youngest of human lives will instead be exterminated and the most vulnerable of human beings discarded”.
Money spent on promoting abortion, Cardinal Collins argued, could be spent on vaccinating against malaria and other diseases, or building schools and universities.
Mexico City Policy
Several European countries pledged money towards a global abortion fund after the US Government reintroduced the Mexico City Policy. It strips funding from global abortion groups such as Planned Parenthood International.
The policy, brought in by Executive Order in the first days of the Trump Presidency, prevents US taxpayer money from being used by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that promote or provide abortions as a method of ‘family planning’.
As well as preventing taxpayer money from funding abortions, the Mexico City Policy bans NGOs from advocating pro-abortion laws in overseas countries.
It has been widely applauded by pro-life groups, which say it will protect the “dignity of women and children overseas”.