Film details painful abortion memories 30 years later

After a brief counseling session she told him, "I don't want to do this to my baby." According to Mrs. Green Dr. Morgentaler replied, "It's not a baby." She says she cried the whole way through the abortion procedure.

VANCOUVER (LifeSiteNews) - It's been more than thirty years, but social worker Vicky Green still vividly remembers her abortion experience with Dr. Henry Morgentaler, and she tells part of her story in the short film '1st Degree Morgentaler' by John S.C. Hetherington.

The powerful short film juxtaposes shots of Dr. Morgentaler explaining his rationale for supporting the "right to choose" abortion, against the testimonial of Mrs. Green.

"We came to a stop light and I wanted to get out and run," says Mrs. Green, recalling her former boyfriend driving her to Dr. Morgentaler's first clinic in the east end of Montreal. But soon she found herself face to face with the doctor himself, "I was surprised it was Dr. Morgentaler doing the abortion."

After a brief counseling session she told him, "I don't want to do this to my baby." According to Mrs. Green Dr. Morgentaler replied, "It's not a baby." She says she cried the whole way through the abortion procedure.

The ten minute film is being released as part of the online film contest Project Breakout. Interestingly the date of the announcement of the winners of Project Breakout happens to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of the January 28, 1988 Supreme Court ruling, known as the 'Morgentaler Decision,' which decriminalized abortion in Canada. Since that ruling, the fate of Canada's abortion law has been in the hands of Parliament, and, since it has failed to act, there has been no legal restriction on abortion for twenty years.

After making the contest finals and editing his material together, Mr. Hetherington said, "When I learned the Project Breakout winners were to be announced on January 28th, the 20th anniversary of 'The Morgentaler Decision'; I knew entering this film was meant to be."

'1st Degree Morgentaler' is one of 15 films in the finals of the Project Breakout contest. It can be viewed and voted on from Monday January 14th to Sunday January 27th. Fifteen votes are allowed per person each day, and the audience vote counts for twenty-five percent of the overall rating. "Your support would be much appreciated," said Hetherington.

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