Mary Wagner (Canada)

Last updated

Mary Wagner (born 12 February 1974 [1] [2] ) is a Canadian anti-abortion advocate who has served prison sentences for entering abortion clinics to counsel mothers against abortion without consent of the facility staff.

Contents

Biography

Wagner protested in private abortion clinics in Toronto. [3] She was arrested for the first time in 2012. [4] Following a nearly two-year-long trial, Judge Fergus O'Donnell found her guilty of mischief and probation violation, sentencing her to nine months in prison and two years away from abortion clinics.[ citation needed ]

On December 23, 2014, after entering the Bloor West Village Women's Clinic abortion facility in Toronto, Wagner was arrested again and charged with disruption of business operations. [5] [6] [7]

In 2015, Wagner argued in court that violating her probation order by entering an abortion clinic and distributing anti-abortion materials to patients was a necessity to protect the lives of unborn children. This was rejected by the court and upheld on appeal. [8]

In April 2016, Wagner was released from prison after serving a sentence for counselling women[ clarification needed ] at a clinic. [9] On December 12, she was detained inside the abortion center in Bloor West Village, after dissuading one of the women from aborting. [10] She was charged[ clarification needed ] and sentenced to nine months in prison. [11] [12] In August 2017, Telewizja Polska reported that Wagner's mother appealed to Poles to send letters of support to a Canadian judge considering her sentence. [13] In September 2017, Polish right-wingers staged a demonstration in support of Wagner in front of the Canadian Embassy in Warsaw. [14]

Political support

In 2012, Conservative Member of Parliament Maurice Vellacott presented a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal to Wagner. [15] [16] [17] Some 60,000 medals were handed out, with each member of Parliament allocated thirty medals to disburse as they saw fit. Vellacott protested the honouring of Henry Morgentaler and hailed Wagner as a "hero of humanity". [18] Interim liberal leader Bob Rae criticised the award as potentially illegal incitement. [19]

In 2015 the Polish Post issued a stamp with her likeness. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Morgentaler</span> Canadian physician and abortion rights advocate (1923–2013)

Henekh "Henry" Morgentaler, was a Polish-born Canadian physician and abortion rights advocate who fought numerous legal battles aimed at expanding abortion rights in Canada. As a Jewish youth during World War II, Morgentaler was imprisoned at the Łódź Ghetto and later at the Dachau concentration camp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abortion in Canada</span> Overview of the legality and prevalence of abortions in Canada

Abortion in Canada is legal throughout pregnancy and is publicly funded as a medical procedure under the combined effects of the federal Canada Health Act and provincial health-care systems. However, access to services and resources varies by region. While some restrictions exist, Canada is one of the few nations with no criminal restrictions on abortion. Abortion is subject to provincial healthcare regulatory rules and guidelines for physicians. No provinces offer abortion on request at 24 weeks and beyond, although there are exceptions for certain medical complications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Kenney</span> Premier of Alberta from 2019 to 2022

Jason Thomas Kenney is a former Canadian politician who served as the 18th premier of Alberta from 2019 until 2022, and the leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) from 2017 until 2022. He also served as the member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Calgary-Lougheed from 2017 until 2022. Kenney was the last leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party before the party merged with the Wildrose Party to form the UCP. Prior to entering Alberta provincial politics, he served in various cabinet posts under Prime Minister Stephen Harper from 2006 to 2015.

Leon Earl Benoit is a Canadian politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elsie Wayne</span> Canadian politician

Elsie Eleanore Wayne was a Canadian politician who served as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Saint John from 1993 to 2004. She was born in Shediac, New Brunswick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Crosbie</span> Canadian politician (1931–2020)

John Carnell Crosbie was a Canadian provincial and federal politician who served as the 12th lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Prior to being lieutenant governor, he served as a provincial cabinet minister under Premiers Joey Smallwood and Frank Moores as well as a federal cabinet minister during the Progressive Conservative (PC) governments of Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney. Crosbie held several federal cabinet posts, including minister of finance, minister of justice, minister of transport, minister of international trade, and minister of fisheries and oceans.

Maurice Vellacott is a former Canadian politician from Saskatchewan. He served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2015 as the member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Saskatoon—Wanuskewin from 1997 to 2015, variously as a member of the Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance, and the Conservative Party. Vellacott was known as an outspoken social conservative, particularly in opposing same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnett Slepian</span> American physician and murder victim

Barnett Abba Slepian was an American physician and abortion provider who was assassinated in his home by James Charles Kopp, a militant member of the US anti-abortion movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Rebick</span> Canadian journalist, activist, and feminist

Judy Rebick is a Canadian writer, journalist, political activist, and feminist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army of God (terrorist organization)</span> American Christian organization

Army of God (AOG) is an American Christian terrorist organization, members of which have perpetrated anti-abortion violence. According to the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security's joint Terrorism Knowledge Base, the Army of God is an active underground terrorist organization in the United States. In addition to numerous property crimes, the group has committed acts of kidnapping, attempted murder, and murder. The AOG was formed in 1982 and, while sharing a common ideology and tactics, the group's members claim that they rarely communicate with each other; this is known more formally as leaderless resistance. The group forbids those who wish to "take action against babykilling abortionists" from discussing their plans with anyone in advance.

Anti-abortion violence is violence committed against individuals and organizations that perform abortions or provide abortion counseling. Incidents of violence have included destruction of property, including vandalism; crimes against people, including kidnapping, stalking, assault, attempted murder, and murder; and crimes affecting both people and property, as well as arson and terrorism, such as bombings.

The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR) is an American anti-abortion organization. The Executive Director of the CBR is Gregg Cunningham, a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives who has also held a number of other government positions. He was a member of the Reagan administration.

Dean A. Del Mastro is a former Canadian politician. He represented Peterborough in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Conservative Party from January 23, 2006 until November 5, 2014. He resigned from parliament after being convicted of breaking the Elections Canada Act during the 2008 election. He had previously served as the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada and the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Fast</span> Canadian politician

Edward D. "Ed" Fast is a Canadian politician who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Abbotsford since 2006. A member of the Conservative Party of Canada, he was Minister for International Trade and Minister for the Asia–Pacific Gateway from 2011 to 2015 under Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Rachelle Ranae "Shelley" Shannon is an American anti-abortion extremist who was convicted in a Kansas state court for the attempted murder of George Tiller by shooting him in his car in Wichita, Kansas in 1993. She was also convicted in U.S. federal court for ten attacks at abortion clinics using arson or acid. At her sentencing in U.S. District Court in 1995, the presiding judge described Shannon as a terrorist and agreed with prosecutors that she was a threat even from behind bars. She served her sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Waseca, Minnesota and was released in November 2018.

Governments sometimes take measures designed to afford legal protection of access to abortion. Such legislation often seeks to guard facilities which provide induced abortion against obstruction, vandalism, picketing, and other actions, or to protect patients and employees of such facilities from threats and harassment.

William Gary Whatcott, known as Bill Whatcott, is a Canadian social conservative activist who campaigns against homosexuality and abortion. The dramatic nature of his activities have attracted attention from the media, including an appearance on The Daily Show. He has also run for political office in Toronto, Saskatchewan and Edmonton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachael Thomas</span> Canadian politician (born 1986)

Rachael Thomas is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Lethbridge in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election. A member of the Conservative Party, she was reelected in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, and has been the Shadow Minister for Canadian Heritage since October 2022. Previously, Thomas has also served as the Official Opposition critic for Youth and Persons with Disabilities, the Status of Women, and Digital Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslyn Lewis</span> Canadian lawyer and politician

Leslyn Lewis is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Haldimand—Norfolk since 2021. A member of the Conservative Party, Lewis contested the party leadership in the 2020 leadership election, placing third. She was the first visible minority woman to run for the federal Conservative Party leadership. She is known for her socially conservative views.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alissa Golob</span> Canadian anti-abortion activist

Alissa Golob is a Canadian pro-life activist, and co-founder of RightNow, a political group that aids in electing pro-life candidates in local nomination elections.

References

  1. ↑ "Mary Wagner siedzi w więzieniu - napisz do niej na urodziny". Instytut Gość Media. 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  2. ↑ "Mary Wagner z Kanady w Rzeszowie - Diecezja Rzeszowska". 2016-08-05. Archived from the original on 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  3. ↑ "Mary Wagner, Convicted Anti-Abortion Activist, Gets Diamond Jubilee Medal From Tory MP Maurice Vellacott". HuffPost Canada. 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  4. ↑ "'Your God is wrong': Anti-abortion activist to appeal conviction, saying judge attacked religion". National Post. 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  5. ↑ b, k. "Mary Wagner arrested again in Toronto while speaking to abortion-minded women". canadiantimes.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  6. ↑ "Wyborcza.pl". wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  7. ↑ "Canada - Arrestata l'attivista anti-aborto Mary Wagner" (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  8. ↑ "Protester fails to convince judge that anti-pipeline civil disobedience was a 'necessity'". National Post.
  9. ↑ Shaw, Jessica (2018). "Conscientious Affirmations: A Response to Conscientious Objections to Abortion". Women's Reproductive Health. 5 (4): 277–286. doi:10.1080/23293691.2018.1523120. S2CID   81240613.
  10. ↑ "Canada: Natale in cella per l'attivista pro-life Mary Wagner - CR - Agenzia di informazione settimanale". CR - Agenzia di informazione settimanale (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  11. ↑ "Mary Wagner potrzebuje twojej pomocy - wyślij list do sędziego w Kanadzie". gosc.pl. 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  12. ↑ "Poland Embraces Pro-Life Champion Mary Wagner at World Youth Day". www.crossmap.com. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  13. ↑ "Działaczka pro-life Mary Wagner prosi Polaków o pomoc" (in Polish). Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  14. ↑ Żuk, Piotr; Żuk, Paweł (2020). "'Murderers of the unborn' and 'sexual degenerates': analysis of the 'anti-gender' discourse of the Catholic Church and the nationalist right in Poland". Critical Discourse Studies. 17 (5): 566–588. doi:10.1080/17405904.2019.1676808. S2CID   210358322.
  15. ↑ "They are the real heroes of humanity!". Maclean’s. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  16. ↑ "Tory MP awards Diamond Jubilee medal to jailed anti-abortion crusader Linda Gibbons". National Post. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  17. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23293691.2018.1523120 Conscientious Affirmations: A Response to Conscientious Objections to Abortion
  18. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mp-defends-giving-queen-s-jubilee-medal-to-jailed-woman-1.1198998 MP defends giving Queen's Jubilee medal to jailed woman, CBC
  19. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tory-inciting-anti-abortion-activists-to-break-law-rae-says-1.1198997 Tory inciting anti-abortion activists to break law, (as well they should) Rae says, CBC
  20. ↑ "Poczta Polska wyemitowała znaczki z wizerunkiem Mary Wagner". wPolityce.pl. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.