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Re: 'Order of Canada an important award,' Watchdog, July 11.

On July 1, it was announced that Henry Morgentaler had been named to The Order of Canada. An avalanche of opposition to this has occurred and continues to be expressed.

From those responsible for making this choice there has been a deafening silence. The liberal media - our 'social justice watchdogs' - have chosen to be accomplices in the act by refusing to report on the high level of opposition this choice has elicited.

This brings me, somewhat belatedly, to Joe Cooper's column.

Cooper's distress about the "criticism aimed at the award itself" and some of the "spiteful mockery of the order itself" strikes me as more than a little naive.

What does Cooper expect?

An intelligent response to the incomprehensible choice made by the members of the advisory council to invest Henry Morgentaler into the Order of Canada; a choice that every member of the advisory council must have known would carry with it enormous political implications and thereby compromise the integrity not only of The Order of Canada itself but also of the Office of the Governor General of Canada.

The advisory council has in effect "forced" the imprimatur of the Office of The Governor General of Canada on one side of a highly controversial and outstanding political issue that calls into question the absolute neutrality demanded of this office. It could be argued that Morgentaler's nomination was not valid.

Cooper's distress should correctly have been directed toward those who made this misbegotten choice, displaying, at best, a profound lack of judgment and understanding of their responsibilities and, at worst, engaging in a act of triumphant defiance aimed at establishing what they may have viewed as a victory for Canada's national pro-choice/abortion hierarchy.

Cooper then goes on to say: "I would like to see more appointments like Dr. Morgentaler because people need to be reminded that doing what is best for one's country often entails conflict, confrontation and controversy".

Is the killing of unborn Canadians best for our country? I think not. Does one receive the Order of Canada for one's willingness to suffer conflict, confrontation and controversy no matter the cause - good or evil? Maybe it has come to this.

To be an advocate for and champion of the destruction of human life in the womb is fundamentally evil. To claim that "a woman's right to choose" justifies this option is clearly dishonest and immoral and, rightfully, cannot fail to generate conflict, confrontation and controversy. Were it not so, we would truly be a nation without a soul and without hope.

We should all find comfort in knowing there are still a significantly large number of Canadians who value and do not support the taking of human life at any stage and have the courage to passionately oppose those who do.

Morgentaler's Order of Canada should be annulled without any further delay. That the governor general failed to advise against this appointment was a grave mistake. A month has passed and there is no evidence that this mistake will be corrected in spite of the massive outcry that has erupted against it. The time for this debate to take its rightful place in the House of Commons is long overdue. Will Prime Minister Stephen Harper have the courage and stamina for this if he wins the next election? I sincerely hope and pray that he will.

Lucy Drimmel