Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Not allowing women unobstructed access to abortion, is a social injustice and a violation of women's individual rights. In Canada, there is currently no abortion law, as it is such a huge controversy. It would help Canada to have one as right now women go to back alley clinics; endangering their lives trying to get an abortion. If abortion were legalized, then many women would not have to go to illegal clinics, and most importantly, not be afraid to get an abortion. Legalizing abortion would be a breakthrough in Canadian law, as it allows the women the right to choose whether to have a baby or not, and there are also many other benefits to abortion; including embryo stem call research. Although there is much controversy over the subject of abortion, legalizing abortion would help Canadians, and benefit many people. Previous abortion laws have been sketchy, some argue that the fetus is a person, and should be protected by the charter of rights, others argue that it is not yet a human being, and so the rights of the mother supersede the rights of the fetus. Before we had no abortion law, the law stated that; Behavior in Canada can only be criminal if a federal law specifically prohibits it. Section 287 of the Criminal Code became law in 1969. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms followed in 1982. The Code made it a criminal offence to "procure a miscarriage." Section 287 says that every one who, with intent to procure the miscarriage of a female person, uses drugs, instruments or manipulation of any ...read more.

Middle

Embryo stem cell research is very exciting as it could help to cure Alzheimer's disease, and even to help repair nerve systems. This is an amazing medical breakthrough, and abortion allows this research to happen. The most shocking abortion benefit would be that there has been a decrease in violent crimes, such as rape, murder and aggravated assault. The decrease in violent crime is about 8% per year, over the last 4 years in Canada. Studies by the Federal Bureau of Investigators prove these statistics as well as police forces. They say it is due to the fact that many criminal offenders were born into homes where they were not loved or cared for. Hitler was born into a family where his father beat him, and this may have been the reason that he was Hilary Visser Page 3 able to kill thousands of people with no remorse. By legalizing abortion, many of these unwanted, unloved children will not be a threat to society. Also, the mortality rates of women will continue to go down. Already they are low, but with an abortion law, Canada can get the numbers even lower. Those are the many benefits of abortion. The one problem with abortion laws is that they are so clear cut. The biggest problem with legalizing abortion laws would have to be the number of handicapped fetus' that are being aborted. With the help of an amniocentesis parents can find out if the child that the mother is carrying is handicapped or not. ...read more.

Conclusion

Just because the fetus is handicapped, does not mean that the parents can keep trying for a normal child. If they don't want a child at all, then it would be fine to abort the fetus. This law would satisfy everyone as it would not be murder, as the fetus would not yet then be a human being, and also it would allow women the freedom to choose their own destiny. To legalize abortion in Canada would help Canada in so many ways. Crimes would continue to decrease, which does not just help the victims of these crimes, but society as a whole. Also, an abortion law will save many lives in terms of research; the stem cell embryos and the advances in medical breakthroughs that are happening because of them. And also in the way that fewer women would feel the need to go to a back alley clinic, as they feel that with no abortion law, they have to hide their abortion. The biggest way that legalizing abortion would assist Canada in becoming a better place to live is the fact that more children will be born into loving, and caring homes, thus decreasing the amount of criminals, and allowing the number of unwanted children to drop. Having an abortion law, would help to create happier lives for children, a safer society for Canada, while allowing women control over their own destinies. It is a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion, and that right would be upheld if Canada took the huge step, and legalized abortion in Canada. Hilary Visser Page 6 ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Abortion and other medical issues section.