Maternal Health Compromise Emerges

Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda told reporters, according to the Vancouver Sun, that Canada does not expect the other G8 countries to follow Canada's approach to promoting maternal health. "I've just told my colleagues that every country has experience, and we're asking them all to focus within a framework," she said. "However, they will be free and flexible to choose the best way that they will contribute to the effort."

So, in the end, both access to safe abortions and access to contraceptive measures will be in the G-8 plan; Canada will be allowed to direct its particular funds towards some other part of the "framework". This is the political equivalent of a fig-leaf. I've explained how little it actually means here.