A Canadian global gag rule?
Stephen Harper’s government seems to be on the verge of implementing a new foreign-aid plan that excludes any mention of family planning, contraception, or abortion, prompting comparisons to the U.S "global gag rule" which was reversed by President Barack Obama last year: The Toronto Star reports: For two consecutive days this week, Conservative cabinet members ...
Stephen Harper's government seems to be on the verge of implementing a new foreign-aid plan that excludes any mention of family planning, contraception, or abortion, prompting comparisons to the U.S "global gag rule" which was reversed by President Barack Obama last year:
The Toronto Star reports:
For two consecutive days this week, Conservative cabinet members have ruled out any suggestion that birth control be part of Harper’s announced new, foreign-aid focus on maternal health for this year’s G-8 and G-20 meetings in Canada.
Stephen Harper’s government seems to be on the verge of implementing a new foreign-aid plan that excludes any mention of family planning, contraception, or abortion, prompting comparisons to the U.S "global gag rule" which was reversed by President Barack Obama last year:
The Toronto Star reports:
For two consecutive days this week, Conservative cabinet members have ruled out any suggestion that birth control be part of Harper’s announced new, foreign-aid focus on maternal health for this year’s G-8 and G-20 meetings in Canada.
In the Commons on Wednesday, International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda pointedly left birth control off the list of aid projects the government intended to support, saying that “saving lives” was more important than family planning.
Of course, helping to prevent unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted disesases would save quite a few lives. It would be a strange world if U.S. foreign aid policies looked liberal in comparison with Canada’s.
The Guardian‘s Sarah Boseley has more.
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
More from Foreign Policy

Lessons for the Next War
Twelve experts weigh in on how to prevent, deter, and—if necessary—fight the next conflict.

It’s High Time to Prepare for Russia’s Collapse
Not planning for the possibility of disintegration betrays a dangerous lack of imagination.

Turkey Is Sending Cold War-Era Cluster Bombs to Ukraine
The artillery-fired cluster munitions could be lethal to Russian troops—and Ukrainian civilians.

Congrats, You’re a Member of Congress. Now Listen Up.
Some brief foreign-policy advice for the newest members of the U.S. legislature.