"NO MORE CHRISTIAN DOCTORS"
Part1: The making of a story
Sean Murphy*
What happened
Full Text
On the morning of 29 January, 2014, a 25 year old married woman went to
Care-Medics Medical Centres in Ottawa, a walk-in clinic that she claims she had
frequented for about two years. She wanted a prescription for birth control
pills. After giving her health number to the receptionist, she sat down and
waited until she was called. When she told the receptionist why she was
there, she was advised that it was not possible to have the prescription
filled. The young woman was surprised and asked why. The receptionist
pointed to "a stack of letters" on the desk. The woman picked one up and
began to read it.
Dear Patient:
Please be advised that because of
reasons of my own medical judgment as well as professional ethical concerns
and religious values, I only provide one form of birth control, Natural
Family Planning. In addition, I do not refer for vasectomies, abortions, nor
prescribe the morning after pill or any other artificial contraception. If
you are interested in the latter, please be aware that you may approach your
own family doctor or request to be seen by another physician. . .1
Although she had attended the clinic for two years, this was the
first time that this had happened, and she was understandably surprised. The
receptionist told her that she could return the next day and see a different
physician, but the woman explained that she could not do so because she was
working. The receptionist advised her that she would have to go elsewhere if
she wanted the prescription filled, as the physician was the only one
available that day.
It almost felt like I was doing something wrong. I
felt truly embarrassed having to leave in front of a group of people because
of something that someone thinks is shameful and not right.
I had to go out of my way and find another clinic.
Luckily for me, there was one not too far away. I still couldn't even
believe what happened. I even mentioned it to the receptionist at the other
clinic, and she was just as shocked as I was.2
The "other clinic" was the Sunrise Medical Centre in the Loblaws Store
across the street on Merivale Road - a two minute drive. There was a
pharmacy in the store, so presumably she had the prescription filled there.3
In brief, a young woman was refused a birth control prescription at one
clinic, but obtained the prescription and pills at another clinic and
pharmacy two minutes away.
A happy ending?
That she had no difficulty obtaining her pills is not surprising, since,
in the words of the Medical Officer of Health and the President of the
Academy of Medicine of Ottawa, birth control services are "widely available"
in the city. They encouraged anyone wanting the services to visit Ottawa
Public Health's Sexual Health Centre, family doctor "or the drop-in services
available at more than 20 satellite locations . . . throughout the city." In
fact, they urged people to "emphasize and celebrate" the wide availability
of birth control services, the morning after pill, referrals for abortion,
and vasectomies.4
This could have been the end of the story. It was in the case of another
patient, who said that, two years earlier, she had crossed the same street
to the same clinic for her birth control prescription.5 It could even have
been a happy ending. The physician in question was not forced to do
something contrary to his medical judgment . . . professional ethical
concerns and religious values." The young woman obtained the birth control
pills she wanted. The Medical Officer of Health was presented with an
opportunity to advertise his products and services. In his view, people in
Ottawa even had reason to celebrate.
Within a few days it became apparent that some people did not want the
story to end there, did not want the story to end happily, and were in no
mood to celebrate. In consequence, the story is continuing - in a sense.
What actually happened has faded into the background, overwritten by pages
of self-righteous indignation and outrage expressed in the expletives,
exclamation marks, and acronyms of social media, and the more solemn
judgments passed by various commentators consulted by mainstream media.
The story is no longer about a young woman who had to drive around the
block to another clinic for her birth control pills. It is, rather, a story
about a growing Canadian phenomenon: an obsessive fear and seething contempt
for people who express and actually live by moral, ethical or religious
beliefs. Not all of them, mind you: only those deemed heretical by
secularist authorities and a secularist clergy that includes prominent
academics, professionals, regulatory bureaucrats and pundits.
The phenomenon is exemplified by the witch-hunt whipped up in Montreal
after two daycare workers were seen wearing niqabs (gasp) in a public place
(double gasp, with stress on public) on an outing with the children in their
care (triple gasp: post to Facebook, call the government).6
It is exemplified
by Quebec's proposed Charter of Secularism,7 which the government of
Quebec touts as the "solution" to "problems" like women who draw gasps
because of what they are wearing rather than what they are not wearing. And
it is exemplified by the new story in Ottawa that has supplanted the
original, and that is proving to be much more interesting.
The crusade
It started innocently enough. The young woman was so taken aback by
having been refused the prescription that, soon afterward, she posted a
photo of the physician's letter on her Facebook page, with a note about it.
In an account posted a few days later, she said that she did so "just to get
a general idea to see if this is even legal."8
Got turned away at my normal clinic becuase the doctor
has moral issues with giving perscriptions for birth control. . .can doctors
in a public clinics actually do this? [sic]9
The first response from a 'friend' (12:44 pm) was "That's really
bizarre!"10
Within minutes, another 'friend' advised her to "post that ____ on
Reddit. Unacceptable!"11
Other similar comments followed. Then:
Don't know how Canada is but isn't there a separation
of church and state? Since you have socialized health care he gets payed by
the state do his religion shouldn't be able to have anything to do with it.
[sic]12
The young woman responded immediately, "Yes! Exactly! I believe your
right." [sic]13
A group that describes itself as "pro-choice" (though not, apparently, in
favour of choices it dislikes)14 posted a copy of the physician's letter on
its Facebook page that afternoon:
This was sent to us anonymously by a woman in Ottawa.
So, yes - this is real.
Yes - this is a real doctor.
No - You are
not in a time warp.
(Feel free to circulate widely as a reminder to folks
that we must remain forever vigilant).15
The responses were not long in coming. Outraged Facebookers called the
physician a "jerk,"16 a "complete anachronism,"17 "disgusting,"18 incompetent,19
"unethical and unprofessional,"20 a "worthless piece of ____,"21 a "crummy
doctor,"22 "an idiot,"23 and described him as - judgemental.24
"Goofballs like this," wrote one, "are the best walking arguments for the
birth control they don't believe in."25
"He should move to the states, or maybe Dubai, where he will be among his
own kind."26
The call to be "forever vigilant" appealed, naturally enough, to the
vigilante set.
I think that women should start going in looking for
prescriptions for The Pill. You know, just a top up till their family doctor
can see them again.27
We see hear (with appropriate winds and nods - "you know" -) a fairly
obvious suggestion that women should go to the clinic and make gratuitous
requests for birth control pills, knowing they will be refused, for the sole
purpose of fabricating complaints against the physician to the College of
Physicians and Surgeons and Ontario Human Rights Commission.
For, in the view of the fuming Facebookers, "The only sane solution is to
revoke his licence unless he agrees to perform the duties for which he is
being paid,"28 because he had chosen "the wrong damned profession,"29 he had "no
business practicing [sic] family medicine"30 and "does not deserve to practice
in Canada. PERIOD."31 A number urged that formal complaints be lodged against
him, suggesting he was guilty of professional misconduct and even unlawful
discrimination.32
"If this guy is still employed, and complaints aren't filed against him,"
wrote one, "then mission failed."33
The 'pro-choice' group assured their correspondent that they had received
"lots of word" that people were calling the physician's clinic, the College
of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission.34
The young woman was delighted with the results and congratulated the
'pro-choice' group on its handiwork.
Thanks for posting my letter and getting the word out!
It means alot and I truely hope this gets spread nation wide! Keep fighting
the good fight! [sic]35
The 'other'
A member of the Ottawa Citizen editorial board picked up on the Facebook
feeding frenzy. By late afternoon the day after the young woman went to the
clinic, news that three physicians in Ottawa would not fill birth control
prescriptions was on the front page.36
The appearance of the column increased the young woman's enthusiasm for
what seems to have become her cause:
This is so wacky!! But im so amazed that it was
printed in the citizen!! Keep posting people and get the word out!! Keep
your morals at home!37
Of course, the young woman and her supporters - now including
commentators on the Citizen website and elsewhere - were not keeping their
morals at home. The warning, "Keep your morals at home!" was not meant for
adherents of the gospel according to received opinion, but for people like
the three physicians, who question that gospel: the heretics.
"THREE of them at the same clinic?" gasped one of the Facebookers.
It is instructive, here, to change the emphasis: "Three of THEM at the
same clinic?"38
Them. THREE of THEM. That is, not one of US, but one of those OTHERS.
From such a perspective, it isn't surprising that one of the Facebookers
suggested that the physician should move elsewhere, "maybe Dubai," where he
could "be among his own kind." Nor is it surprising that the case should be
cited as "a perfect example" demonstrating the need for laws like the
Quebec Charter of Secularism.39
The new story
This is the new story, and it is far more interesting than the story
about the young woman who had to drive around the block to get her birth
control pills. In fact, the original story - what actually happened - was
not told on the 'pro-choice' Facebook page, nor in the Ottawa Citizen
article. It was not what actually happened that sparked the outpouring of
self-righteous and often venomous denunciation.
What triggered the preaching of the crusade was news that three Ottawa
physicians had told their patients that they would not recommend, facilitate
or do what they believed to be immoral, unethical, or harmful. Consulted by
the Ottawa Citizen columnist, officials from the Canadian Medical
Association and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario seemed
unsure about whether or not there is room for that kind of integrity in the
medical profession.40 A few days later, a reporter with the Medical Post
expressed doubt that it was even legal.41
We leave the officials pondering the problem presented by public displays
of physician integrity, and return to the physician in question: that
"disgusting", "incompetent unethical and unprofessional" "worthless piece of
____" who had so provoked the Facebookers by implicitly challenging some of
their cherished dogmas. The morning after the Ottawa Citizen
article appeared, one of his patients offered the following comment on the
'pro-choice' group Facebook page:
This is my family doctor and I know he doesn't
prescribe birth control pills it is the first thing he told me when I went
for my first appointment. And it is true he said it was because of his
religion I told him I could not care less because I have a hysterectomy and
that I hope it doesn't bother him that I am an Atheist, it did not bother
him at all. Here is the thing, I have been going to doctors for 25 years
with the same problem and this Doctor figured out my problem in the first
appointment with him, he is an excellent doctor. But I will agree with
everyone that when he first told me about not prescribing birth control
pills I thought that was very weird. But I do owe this Doctor my life.42
We find in this comment by a grateful patient something that will inform
the next stage of this discussion. It is her reflection on her own response
when the physician explained that he did not prescribe contraceptives: "I
thought that was very weird."
Notes
1.
Letter, "Dear Patient."
2. Desjardins K.. (Also known as "K___
A___")
IT HAPPENED TO ME: I Asked for Birth Control and Got a Form Letter
Saying "No." 4 February, 2014 (Accessed 2014-02-08)
3. On her Facebook page, K___ A___
stated that she went to "loblaws beside fit4less."
K___ A___, 29 January,
2014. 12:52 pm. (Accessed 2014-02-08) The Care Medics clinic in this
case is at 1375 Baseline Rd. in Ottawa. There is a Loblaws Store at 1460
Merivale Rd. next to a Fit 4Less at the same address. The Sunrise
Medical Centre is located inside the Loblaws Store, as is a pharmacy.
Google Maps indicates that the distance from Care Medics clinic to the
Loblaws Store on Merivale Rd. is 1.1km, a two minute drive or seven
minute walk. See Appendix "A".
4. Levy I. (Medical Officer of Health,
Ottawa) and Abdullah A. (President, Academy of Medicine, Ottawa), Letter
to the Ottawa Citizen, 1 February, 2014.
5.
S____ C____. 30
January, 2014: 7:03 am | 7:05 am. Radical Handmaids (Accessed
2014-02-08)
6. Selley C.
"Quebec's latest niqab panic." National Post, 23 November,
2013 (Accessed 2014-02-08)
7.
Bill n°60 : Charter affirming the values of State secularism and
religious neutrality and of equality between women and men, and
providing a framework for accommodation requests
(Accessed
2014-02-11)
8. Desjardins K..
IT HAPPENED TO ME: I Asked for Birth Control and Got a Form Letter
Saying "No." 4 February, 2014 (Accessed 2014-02-08)
9.
K___ A___, 29 January,
2014 (Accessed 2014-02-08)
10.
S____ M___. 29 January,
2014, 12:44 pm (Accessed 2014-02-08)
11.
B_____ S_____. 29
January, 2014, 12:51 pm Expletive deleted. (Accessed 2014-02-08)
12.
S_____ B_____. 29 January, 2014, 2:35 pm (Accessed 2014-02-08)
13.
K___ A___, 29 January,
2014, 2:36 pm (Accessed 2014-02-08)
14.
Radical Handmaids: About.
"The Radical Handmaids are pro-choice activists who love CanLit and
really outrageous hats." (Accessed 2014-02-08)
15.
Radical Handmaids
Facebook Page, 29 January, 2014 (Accessed 2014-02-10)
16.
J___ R____, 29
January, 2014, 5:50 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
17.
D___ D___ B___, 29
January, 2014, 5:58 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
18.
A___ R___, 29
January, 2014, 6:29 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
19.
M___ A___, 29
January, 2014, 7:19 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
20.
M___ A___, 29
January, 2014, 8:54 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
21.
M___ C___, 29
January, 2014, 8:57 pm (Expletive deleted) (Accessed 2014-02-10)
22.
S___ W___, 29
January, 2014, 9:36 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
23.
L___ J___ M___, 30
January, 2014, 9:24 am (Accessed 2014-02-10)
24.
T___ D___, 30
January, 2014, 4:25 am;
C___ B___, 30
January, 2014, 5:07 am (Accessed 2014-02-10)
25.
J___ L___, 29
January, 2014, 10:10 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
26.
T___ M___, 29
January, 2014, 6:56 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
27.
C__ F___, 30
January, 2014, 6:53 am (Accessed 2014-02-10)
28.
J___ O___, 30
January, 2014, 1:38 pm;
R___ L___ 29
January, 2014, 7:32 pm;
K___ N___ H___, 30
January, 2014, 11:48 am ;
L___ C___ 31
January, 2014, 7:52 am (Accessed 2014-02-10)
29.
K___ B___, 29
January, 2014, 7:56 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
30.
A___ M___ 29
January, 2014, 7:41 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
31.
R___ V___, 29
January, 2014, 7:52 pm (Accessed 2014-02-10)
32.
D___ M___, 30
January, 2014, 5:41 am;
N___ P___, 30
January, 2014, 8:12 am;
M___ C___, 30
January, 2014, 3:04 pm; A___ O___, 31
January, 2014, 5:26. (Accessed 2014-02-10)
33.
N___ P___ 30
January, 2014, 8:40 am (Accessed 2014-02-10)
34. Radical
Handmaids, 30 January, 2014, 8:45 am (Accessed 2014-02-10)
35.
K___ A___ Facebook Comment
30 January, 2014 11:24 am. (Accessed 2014-02-08)
36. Payne E.
"Some Ottawa doctors refuse to prescribe birth control pills."
Ottawa Citizen, 30 January, 2014 (Accessed 2014-02-08)
37.
K___ A___ Facebook Comment
31 January, 2014. (Accessed 2014-02-08)
38.
C___ F___, 30 January,
2014, 5:35 pm. (Accessed 2014-02-08)
39. Gagnon S. "Contrary to democracy."
Letter to the editor, Ottawa Citizen, 1 February, 2014.
40. Payne E.
"Some Ottawa doctors refuse to prescribe birth control pills."
Ottawa Citizen, 30 January, 2014 (Accessed 2014-02-08)
41. Glauser W. "Ottawa clinic doctors’
refusal to offer contraception shameful,
says embarrassed patient."
Medical Post, 5 February, 2014
42.
M___ C___, 31 January,
2014, 7:16 am (Accessed 2014-02-08)