Orders of Canada being returned

Kenneth Hynek • 9th Jul 2008 • World News, Canadian News, Society
abortion, Assumption Mutual Life Assurance, Canada, Cathering Doherty, Gilbert Finn, Henry Morgentaler, Madonna House, New Brunswick, Order of Canada, Rideau Hall

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Former Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Gilbert Finn, has sent notice to the Prime Minister and the Governor General of Canada that he will be returning his Order of Canada in protest over Dr. Henry Morgentaler being inducted into the Order.

Finn was the second person of Acadian descent to be appointed to the office of Lieutenant Governor in New Brunswick, and held the office until 1994. He’s a respected businessman, and was the head of Assumption Mutual Life Assurance; his leadership transformed that business into one of the premiere companies in Eastern Canada.

He is joined in returning his award by the Directors General of Madonna House, a Catholic lay apostolate training foundation, who have personally returned the Order of Canada awarded to their foundress, Cathering Doherty (may she rest in peace), to Rideau Hall.

Now, I am not the occupant of Rideau Hall. Were I that occupant, however, I think I would at this point be questioning — deeply, harsly questioning — the wisdom of bestowing the Order of Canada on a man like Henry Morgentaler. Is it really worth decorating an abortionist when doing so will tarnish the decoration itself so profoundly?

Mind you, were I the resident of Rideau Hall, the closest Morgentaler would ever have gotten to the Order of Canada would have been the distance between him and the exhibit thereof in a museum somewhere. But that is another matter, O Reader.