OTTAWA, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) –– A Conservative Party MP from Alberta has taken grave issue with pro-abortion New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh’s attack on a Catholic hospital network, saying his “ignorance and bigotry towards Catholics” will not go down “well.”
“Just noticed this. @theJagmeetSingh’s ignorance and bigotry towards Catholics won’t go over well,” posted Conservative MP Garnett Genuis on X Thursday.
Just noticed this. @theJagmeetSingh’s ignorance and bigotry towards Catholics won’t go over well. Covenant Health is a longstanding health provider within the universal public system – the healthcare equivalent of a Catholic school board. It does excellent work, of which… https://t.co/h3uEknpsM5
— Garnett Genuis (@GarnettGenuis) September 5, 2024
“Covenant Health is a longstanding health provider within the universal public system – the healthcare equivalent of a Catholic school board. It does excellent work, of which Catholics and Albertans of all faiths are proud,” added the pro-life MP about the Alberta-based Catholic healthcare network.
On August 30, Singh posted on X that it was “almost unbelievable” that the province of Alberta, under the United Conservative Party’s leadership, is “turning over public health care to private company” Covenant Health, which he then called an “anti-choice religious institution that will deny emergency contraception and abortions.”
Singh continued by saying the move “will take us back decades,” ironically adding that the Catholic network’s unwillingness to carry out abortions will put “lives at risk.”
“Conservatives will never stop trying to control women’s bodies and block reproductive rights,” the NDP leader said. “Together, we must fight back.”
The comments from Singh stem from an August 30 announcement made by Alberta UCP Premier Danielle Smith in which she said that she will be making major changes to healthcare in the province.
While healthcare in Alberta is run by the government, Covenant Health is a Catholic-founded system that for over a century has provided care to Albertans under the government system. Historically speaking, Catholic missionaries were the first to start healthcare in Alberta, as well as most other Canadian provinces, predating current governmental structures. Covenant Health does not offer any abortions or euthanasia, in line with Church teaching and the natural law.
Smith said that under the new structure, Covenant Health, which already runs several hospitals and healthcare facilities in Alberta, will be taking over other hospitals from Alberta Health Services, the latter which Smith referred to as having a “monopoly.”
In addition to Smith’s August 30 move, Catholic and other faith-based hospitals in Alberta may soon get even more protections when it comes issues of life. As recently reported by LifeSiteNews, it is expected that the UCP Alberta government will soon introduce a piece of provincial legislation that would enact a new Alberta “Bill of Rights” which includes a section ensuring all provincial healthcare workers along with hospices have the right to refuse to be complicit in offering euthanasia to patients.
As for Genuis, he has a “green light” rating as a pro-life politician from Campaign Life Coalition.
Singh, on the other hand, has repeatedly proclaimed his pro-abortion and anti-life stance, and until recently, his party was the sole reason Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals were able to govern in a minority capacity.