On this day in 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada held that the abortion provision of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional and violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Let's learn more about the landmark R v Morgentaler case 🧵1/15 - ThreadSky

cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social • 145 days ago

On this day in 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada held that the abortion provision of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional and violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Let's learn more about the landmark R v Morgentaler case

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3sides.bsky.social•104 days ago

I will fight to the death to uphold women’s rights to choose.

greenglassworm.bsky.social•144 days ago

Hero. Incredible person. Possibly the greatest Canadian. Someone whose courage we should all remember going forward.

freeworld99.bsky.social•144 days ago

💯🍁

witchiewolf.bsky.social•144 days ago

The conservatives better not try and get rid of this medical procedure !

faintingincoils.bsky.social•144 days ago

We will never let them.

skellyyyc.bsky.social•144 days ago

Great reminder. Stay vigilant ✊🏻

cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•145 days ago

Henry Morgentaler was born in Poland in 1923. During the Second World War, he was imprisoned at the Łódź Ghetto and later the Dachau concentration camp.
After the war, he left Europe and settled in Canada in 1950.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•145 days ago

After receiving his medical degree from Universite de Montreal in 1953, he became a general practitioner.
He was one of the first Canadian doctors to perform vasectomies, to insert intra-uterine devices and provide birth control to unmarried women.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•145 days ago

In the 1960s, he began to advocate for women to have the right to a safe abortion. After seeing women go to the emergency room because of amateur abortions, he gave up his family practice and opened a private abortion clinic in 1968 in Montreal.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•145 days ago

In 1969, abortions were legalized if performed in a hospital but only after approval from a Therapeutic Abortion Committee. Only 1/3 of hospitals had this committee.
In 1970, his abortion clinic was raided and he was charged with performing illegal abortions.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•145 days ago

While waiting for his case to come to trial, he continued to perform abortions. By 1973, he had performed 5,000 safe abortions.
He was tried three times from 1973 to 1975, but was acquitted each time. By the third time, the jury deliberated for less than an hour.

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cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social•145 days ago

The province appealed the acquittal, and it was overturned. Morgentaler was sentenced to 18 months in prison. While in prison, the province charged him again and he was acquitted by another jury. He was released from prison after six months.

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