The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) in a proposed new draft document states:

“Where physicians are unwilling to provide certain elements of care due to their moral or religious beliefs, an effective referral to another health care provider must be provided to the patient”.

Catholic physicians believe that a mandate for an “effective referral” is a violation of a physician’s rights, as it compels the physician to violate his or her own conscience by being a participant in the very act, the very procedure to which he or she objects in the first place.

The CPSO is accepting submissions from all Ontario citizens until February 20. We are all called to inform the CPSO in writing that we reject the proposed “effective referral” mandate for doctors whose Charter right of freedom of conscience and religion must be respected. The Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL) is coordinating these efforts along with the St. Joseph Moscati Catholic Doctors’ Guild (TCDG)  and the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute (CCBI).