The definition of life according to Webster's Dictionary is "the property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter."(Webster's Dictionary) According to this definition, what do murder, capital punishment, euthanasia and abortion all have in common? They all take away a life, but in Canada only one of these is not against the law and occurs over one hundred and thirty thousand times a year: abortion. Prior to the nineteen-seventies, abortion was illegal in Canada and was punishable by incarceration. Legal abortion was unheard of prior to this decade, and if this act was committed, a horrific stigma was placed upon such an individual. This was the most progressive and most active time period for the pro-choice movement. In history, the nineteen-seventy's, was when values and beliefs began to change and more individuals began to speak out against the abortion laws. Today abortion has become a normal medical procedure, just like having one's tonsils removed. The present society has recognized the rights of the individual as very important because of the shift in societal values. As society progresses and changes its values, issues such as abortion have become more acceptable within the new limitations of societal values and beliefs. Abortion must be viewed as a whole instead of being judged as individual cases, and in doing such society will see abortion as morally wrong and, in turn, will make this act illegal once again.
             During the nineteenth century, society had great respect for life, as morals and the greater good were seen as important. Laws are a set of regulations and statutes that are made up of popular societal values and beliefs that are important by the members of society. As such, the belief of the right and respect of life was portrayed through the beliefs of the nineteenth century society. However, there was still the minority which...