Do I care about the Order of Canada?
No. But do I care that an awful lot of people are ignorant about Dr. Henry Morgentaler’s work and believe him not worthy of a national honour? Yes, I do. He is not a baby killer, not even an abortionist: he is a great humanist, one who in the 1970s already knew and saw clearly that women could never hope for equality if their reproductive choices were not guaranteed, one who wanted to ensure safe, decent conditions for humans making decisions about their own body. He did not and does not promote abortion: he promotes humanism, freedom, and above all, respect, both for individuals and for beliefs, opinions, philosophies. He was the face of the abortion debate (I shudder to think about the existence of any such *debate*), but listen to his words, read what he has to say. He is a gentle, kind thinker, an incredibly intelligent, respectful, wise man, and general ignorance prevents him from getting due recognition.
