In the Sept/Oct’03 issue of LifeCanada News, we published a special report on the Canadian Health Network’s (CHN’s) biased coverage on abortion. The CHN website, sponsored by Health Canada, claims that it presents to the public “information you can trust.” Yet it seriously downplays the health risks associated with abortion and only presents information from a pro-abortion-rights perspective. This is because Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada is the current Affiliate for the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) topic area of the CHN website, and Affiliates are responsible for selecting content for their topic area.

This is analogous to a smokers’ rights group being considered the expert on the health risks associated with smoking!

In December, LifeCanada met with a representative of CHN to discuss these concerns and learned that the CHN is currently in the process of deciding who should be the SRH Affiliate for the upcoming term (one to three years.) PPFC is in the running again, as are a few other organizations. In February, the management team of CHN will give its recommendation to Health Minister Pierre Pettigrew for his approval. His decision is expected by the end of February.

In January, LifeCanada sent a letter to the Health Minister (copy to CHN management) expressing concerns about CHN’s biased coverage on abortion, offering to work with the SRH Affiliate to ensure balanced and fair coverage.

If you want Mr. Pettigrew to know you are unhappy with the abortion information CHN presents through its website, that you would like to at least see the pro-abortion-rights perspective balanced by the pro-life perspective, you can contact him at:

Minister's Office - Health Canada
Brooke Claxton Bldg.,
Tunney's Pasture
P.L. 0906C
Ottawa ON K1A 0K9
Fax: 613-952-1154
Email: minister_ministre@hc-sc.gc.ca

You can visit the Canadian Health Network website at:
www.canadian-health-network.ca

CHN welcomes feedback. Please send email to: chn-webadmin@hc-sc.gc.ca