NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      TORONTO (CWNews.com) - The United States and Canada were accused by pro-life leaders on Wednesday of practicing a "contraceptive imperialism" by forcing birth control and abortion on developing nations.

      Father Richard Welch, president of Human Life International, told a news conference opening the group's annual conference that Canada and the US promote "the myth of a population crisis" and then use taxpayer money to send contraceptives and set up population control in poor countries.

      Father Welch said, to the contrary, there is no over population crisis in the world. In fact, he said, "western contraception programs being exported to the Third World have caused a catastrophic birth dearth in many countries." "Many developed nations too, such as Germany, Israel, Spain, and Denmark, are faced with the dire consequences of zero population growth and are unable to replace a retiring work force," he added. Canada is also facing a declining birth rate, well below the replacement rate.

      He also charged the Canadian International Development Agency of being a major funder of abortion groups including the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and that the US and Canada are leading the charge in the United Nations to promote increased support of abortion and contraception through the Cairo+5 program.