For Immediate Release
November 2, 2004

ALBERTA PRO-LIFE ALLIANCE ASSOC.

If Premier Klein is looking for a parade, how about this one?

An Environics poll just released has shown that over three-quarters of Albertans support de-insuring most abortions, says Alberta Pro-Life Executive Director Patty Nixon.

“Premier Klein says he likes to get in front of a parade and lead it,” said Nixon. “This is one parade he’s been avoiding for a decade.”

The Environics poll interviewed 2027 Canadians and asked about legal protection for human life before birth, informed consent for women considering abortions, parental consent for minors and support for tax-funded abortions.

On the question of tax-funded abortions, 18% of Albertans said abortions should always be funded privately. An additional 59% said abortions should only be tax-funded “in medical emergencies such as a threat to the mother’s life or in cases of rape or incest.”

“Alberta taxpayers currently pay for all abortions performed in the province, whether they are done in hospitals or private, for-profit clinics,” said Nixon. “Almost 40% of them are performed on women who have already had one or more. If 77% of Albertans don’t agree with that, why are they being forced to pay for it?”

74% of Albertans polled thought there should be legal protection before birth, with 43% saying from conception on. In Canada, there is no legal protection at any stage of pregnancy.

Three-quarters of Albertans supported informed consent legislation for women considering abortions. Such legislation would include information on fetal development including an ultrasound scan and possible complications and side effects of abortion.

Sixty-percent of Albertans thought minors under the age of 18 should be required to have parental consent before having an abortion. There is no such requirement now in Alberta<

“Girls as young as 14 can be taken to a clinic and have a free abortion without parental consent,” said Nixon. “We’ve heard from their parents.”

>Alberta Pro-Life distributed 20,000 postcards this summer to Albertans to send to MLAs urging them to de-insure. “We know they’ve been sent because we’ve seen them in MLA offices,” said Nixon.

She pointed out that news reports in August said Mr. Klein had warned party candidates not to talk about de-insuring abortion. “When 77% of us want abortion de-insured it is outrageous for the premier to pretend it’s not an issue. Mr. Klein has heard from Martha and Henry on this issue. He’s just not listening.”

For more information, contact Patty Nixon at 780-421-7747.