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a a a --. ~~ Gn an NP RE ER TROD i -- er ea rn ens 2a ------ eam r= pe tr gp yp I TIE ----------_----waE 4 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, February 2, 1988 Editorial Comments The Abortion Issue No other issue in Canada over the past two decades has evok- ed such a wide polarization of feelings and emotion as abortion. On the one side are the many groups and individuals who are opposed to abortion and any measures. that would relax the current restrictions to abortion imposed by the Criminal Code. Some, though not all, are totally and completely opposed to abortion for any reason, including pregnancies that are the result of rape or incest. On the other side are the many groups and individuals who feel that the decisicn to terminate a pregnancy is the woman's alone in consultation with her physician, and where an abortion is performed is of no consequence so long as the location meets medical stan- dards which ensure the safety of the patient. In between those two opposite ends of the spectrum, abortion is an-issue of enormous complexities relating to medicine, ethics, morality, religion and human rights under law. For better than two decades the law makers and the courts have grappled with this issue while the most vociferous opponents and pro- ponents have lobbied vigorously, argued and on occasion battled each other in the streets. .Even with the landmark decision handed down last Thursday by the Supreme Court of Canada, the country has not heard the end of this issue; far from it. What the Court said last Thursday is that Section 251 of the Criminal Code is contrary ta the Canadian Charter of Rights, specifically Section 7 which states that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person." : But perhaps as a further example of the diversity of opinion over the abortion issue, the Court's ruling was not unanimous. The ruling against. Section 251 of the Code made it illegal to have or perform abortion unless that abortion was in a hospital and the case had been reviewed by a committee who agreed that the health of the woman was endangered. That law no longer exists. Reaction to the Court's ruling was predictable. Those who had been fighting for better access to abortion services hailed the ruling; those opposed were appalled and vowed that the struggle is not over. There are many unanswered questions at this time which presumably will be answered over the next weeks and months. Will abortion in clinics outside hospitals be fully covered by provincial :health insurance plans? What kind of rules and regulations will per- tain to those clinics and the people who work there to ensure that the highest possible medical standards are maintained? And then there is the more complex and difficult question of the rights of the unborn. Does a fetus have any rights? Does it have rights, like those spelled out in Section 7 of the Charter, to life, liberty and security of the person? Already there is legal action being launched, and ultimately this question of the rights of the unborn may be decid- ed in a court of law or by parliamentsrians. Itis perhaps interesting to note that one of the judges who wrote in favour of last week's ruling, Madame Justice Bertha Wilson, rais- ed this very question in her judgement. "The precise point in the development of the fetus at which point the state's interest in its pro- tection becomes compelling, should be left to the informed judge- ment of the legislature, which is in a position to receive submissions on the subject from all the relevant disciplines," she wrote. Does this mean that some time in the future, the Parliament of the land will decide when a fetus is a "person" deserving rights and when it is not? Are they to be asked to decide the question at which instant life begins? Are they capable of answering such a question (Turn to page 8) was five in favour of striking the section of the Criminal Code, y, Port Perry 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO Phone 985-7383 P.0.Box90 LOB INO J. PETER HVIDSTEN Publisher Advertising Manager {» CNA ™m LN a Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and Ontario Community Newspaper Association. " Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario. J.B. MCCLELLAND Editor Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for cash CATHY OLLIFFE payment of postage in cash. News & Features Second Class Mail Registraticr Number 0265 PRMADIAN COMMU po + bs v, Goa of Subscription Rate: In Canada $20.00 per year. 224000 ass0Cie Elsewhere $60.00 per year. Single Copy 50° © COPYRIGHT -- All layout and composition of advertisements produced by the adver- tising department of the Port Perry Star Company Limited are protected under copyright and may not be reproduced without the written pérmission of the publisher. "--- AND AZ YOUR BROADCASTING WATCHDOG, HAVE | GOT News For You !! MAN BITES DOG ! " Chatterbox by Cathy Olliffe THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Trendy media types are always telling us what the best hamburger in Toronto is. If it's not Toronto Life advocating an alfalfa burger with sprouts, it's the Toronto Star celebrating the egg bun. And if the media isn't picking out the best burger, it's choosing the best restaurants, or the best politicians, or the best sports 'eam ... whatever. I'm sure they'll be selecting the best toilet paper any day now. Time was, everyone here in Scugog knew what the best of everything was. Everyone knew the best burger was at ---------- because ---------- was the only burger joint in town. Things have changed around here, though, haven't you noticed? There's more burger joints, more politicians, more teams, more toilet Japer, and more and more PEOPLE. | The whole face of this township is rapidly changing and it's hard to actually say what Scugog IS, never mind what the best. things in Scugog ARE. Get my drift? Port Perry, in particular, is being transform- ed from a small, friendly, quiet village into a bustI- ing, growing town -- heck, metropolis! And it must be hard for all the newcomers, never mind the oldcomers, to figure out just what is the best of the best. So just for fun, and to clarify what IS the best, I thought I'd draw up an in-depth survey, print it up here in this space, and ask people to fill it out and send it back to me here at the Star. I'm going to set a deadline for all replies at February 9th, and affer that, I'l] tally up all the answers and print what people think are the best of the best in Scugog Township. NO CHEATING! Only one entry per person, please. Restaurant owners, for example are not allowed to send in 20 copies of this column stating that their burger is best. All you have to do is fill out this column and mai it in to me at the Star, at 235 Queen Street, P.O. Box 90, Port Perry, Ontario LOB 1NO0. Get it? Now go for it! Best Hamburger...............................oc. Best Place to Get Your Car Fixed.................... Best Teacher.......................ocoooevees Best Local Politician....................................... Best DOCLOT..........cooveieniie Best Lawyer...................cooovviiiiiineiieeai Best Newspaper (c'mon get this right?)........... Best Fishing Hole............................ooo.o Best Marina...................ccoooeee iin Best Insurance Company................................. Best Restaurant............................................... Best Store (any kind)..................ccccoeeeeeeeennnnn. Best Scugog Hockey Team............................... Best Ringette Team...................cccvvvvvveennnnnnnn, Favourite Sport................cccooevvvviiiiiiiiiiiiiiinenn, Favourite Hobby.......................ccooe. era Favourite Car...................oooeviviiiiiiiiiiniciiinnn Most Prestigious Place to Live in Scugog......... Worst Place to Live in Scugog......................... Favourite Beer...........ooovvnieiieeiieieieeei, Best Place to Meet Girls/Guys......................... Favourite TV Show....................ccoiiiniinnnnnn. Best Movie I've Seen Lately............................. Favourite Kind of Music.................cceevvnvvnenn.n. How Long Have You Lived In Scugog........ _-- What's the BEST Thing About Living Here...... What's the WORST Thing About Living Here,,, Which Person In Scugog Do You Admire Most. Well, there it is. I know, I know, I've probably forgotten something, but I think the list is fairly comprehensive. Since I've taken all this time to think up qulestions, I think it's only fair that you fill out the gnswers. You don't have to include your name or phone number or your waist measure- ment. Just be honest and fill the darn thing out. MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS Just a few things I wanted to report. The Tenderbuns Skating Club has bit the bullet. We just haven't seen the same amount of interest in the skating lessons that we had before Christmas, and besides, a school booked the Tenderbuns usual time at the arena. - So fond farewells to all our eager learners, and thanks to our teacher Lisa Sirizzotti. Despite the fact Tenderbuns only lasted a few months, I think it was a successsful venture. Five or six of us learned the basics of skating, and that's just what we set out to accomplish. I really didn't harbour any hopes of making the Olympics anyways. I just didn't want to fall down so much.