Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Morgentaler decision, when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the law that made abortions illegal.
This monumental SCC decision was made in 1988 and is still considered an extremely important ruling for women in Canada. The case has been cited over 600 times as a precedent for other court cases.
Dr. Henry Morgentaler’s decision to challenge the abortion law came about due to his desire to open an abortion clinic in Toronto, after challenging the same laws in Québec. He had been fighting the law since 1967 when he presented a brief to the House of Commons’ Health and Welfare Committee, indicating the need for women to have access to safe abortions.
To hear more about this landmark case, CBC’s The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti has an interview with a few of the event’s important players. The University of Toronto will also be hosting a panel (including quite a few of the people who participated in the decision) tomorrow at the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights.
Image: morgentaler25years.ca