Who is Henry
Morgentaler?
“I
have a vision, a dream that all people should be treated in
a humane, compassionate way.”
Henry Morgentaler – January 31st, 1988
Born in Lodz, Poland, Dr. Henry Morgentaler survived the Holocaust and came to
Canada at the end of World War II. Upon completing his medical
studies at the Université de Montreal in 1953 he opened a
family practice in Montreal. As a Humanist leader he
promoted the idea that people had a right to control their
own sexuality and reproduction, without interference by the
state. In 1967 he presented a brief on behalf of the
Humanist Fellowship of Montreal to the House of Common’s
Health and Welfare Committee, where he urged that Canada’s
restrictive abortion law be repealed.
“I
have a commitment to human values, to human dignity,
to respect for people who are different, to social justice,
to
a richer life for all people, to democracy in its broadest
social and political sense”
Henry Morgentaler - 1965
In the following years Dr. Morgentaler challenged the criminal code by
providing safe abortions for women in his
Montreal clinic. He faced several trials and was acquitted each
time by a jury. In an unprecedented move, the Quebec Court
of Appeal overturned a jury verdict, and in 1975 he went to jail for 10 months. His belief in a
woman’s 'right to choose' eventually led to a change in the
law. Finally, after years of struggle the law against
abortion was declared unconstitutional and struck down by
the Supreme Court of Canada on January 28th, 1988. He
continues to campaign province by province, seeking to
provide abortion services to women deprived of access, a
struggle which continues to this day.
I
believe that children should receive love and affection so
that they may grow up to become kind and responsible
persons. I also believe that the best way to achieve this is
to allow women and couples to decide at what time in their
life they should bring a child into the world.
In a case of unwanted or accidental pregnancy a woman should
have the right to choose
and obtain an abortion under good medical conditions to
protect her life,
health and future fertility. I have dedicated the largest
part of my professional life as a physician
to help women obtain safe abortion in an atmosphere of
compassion and empathy.
I am proud of the dedicated staff who have helped me achieve
this humanitarian objective.
Henry Morgentaler – undated
None of this would have been possible without the loyalty
and support of women’s groups across the country who lobbied
governments, raised funds for legal fees, and created a
voice that no longer could be ignored. We applaud these
women and their dedication to Dr. Morgentaler, a doctor who
could not ignore the cry for help.
A recipient of numerous Humanitarian and Public Policy
awards over the years, Dr. Morgentaler also received
an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of
Western Ontario in June 2005.

"By
fighting for reproductive freedom, and making it possible,
I have made a contribution to a safer and more caring
society
where people have a greater opportunity to realize their
full potential."
Henry Morgentaler – June 16th, 2005
Today, Dr. Morgentaler operates six clinics in Canada
providing excellent care for women in need of abortion and
contraceptive services.
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