TORONTO, July 3 /CNW/ - On behalf of the 41,000 members of Canada Family Action Coalition and the hundreds of thousands of like-minded Canadians, on July 3rd, 2008 CFAC filed a formal request in accordance with the Paragraph 25(c) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada for the Advisory Council to recommend that the Governor General terminate Henry Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada.
Dr. Charles McVety, CFAC President, says "Henry Morgentaler's conduct is unbecoming a member of the Order of Canada, violating paragraphs 3(b)(i) and (ii) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada, thereby, tarnishing all recipients of this tremendous award."
For nineteen years, 1969 to 1988, Dr. Morgentaler's admittedly violated Canadian law. His conduct constituted a significant departure from generally recognized standards of public behaviour, violating regulation 3(b)(i). In 1976, Dr. Morgentaler was sanctioned by the Disciplinary Committee of the Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec, by suspending his medical license for one year, placing him in violation of regulation 3(b),(ii) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada.
Also according to reports, it appears that the Advisory Council violated long-standing protocol requiring unanimous consent approving a nominee by resorting to a mere majority vote.
"With such manipulation of the system, we question if the Advisory Council Chair, Justice Beverly McLachlin's well-known 'unwritten constitutional principles' subverted accepted Council procedures. The integrity of the Order of Canada has been undermined as it has become a political award administered by a judicial activist", said Brian Rushfeldt, Executive Director of Canada Family Action Coalition.
CFAC also calls upon Prime Minister Stephen Harper to explain how the Government's Privy Council Secretary, Deputy Minister of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Deputy Minister of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade voted.
For further information: Charles McVety at (416) 456-0096 or Brian Rushfeldt at (403) 295-2159
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