P.E.I. Bishop Richard Grecco urges pro-life stance

Bishop Richard Grecco, the leader of the Catholic Church on P.E.I., is urging Islanders to take political action in response to the province's move to improve access to abortion.

Grecco also took issue with the Supreme Court of Canada's decision to strike down laws against assisted suicide.

Grecco has written a letter that's been shared with the 50 Catholic churches across the province. In it, he said people can express their pro-life position by writing letters to their political representatives.

"It's in the public arena and this is what's going to shape our society and our culture and we have a right to speak up about how that is taking form," said Grecco.

Currently P.E.I. is the only province in Canada that does not provide surgical abortion services. It pays for them, but the procedure must be done in a hospital out of province.

Premier Wade MacLauchlan says the province has an obligation to be in line with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canada Health Act. Earlier this month, MacLauchlan announced Island women would be able to access abortions at the Moncton Hospital without a referral from a doctor or Health P.E.I. by calling a toll-free number.

In February, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that doctor-assisted suicide should be allowed in specific cases.