Alissa Golob, a pro-life advocate, went undercover to investigate late-term abortion access in Canada. Golob recorded conversations with clinic staff in multiple cities, revealing late-term abortions could be arranged without medical justification. The recordings contradict claims that late-term abortions are only performed in cases of maternal health risk or severe fetal anomalies. The public reaction has been one of shock and horror, with some pro-choice individuals expressing concern.
14 days ago
Pro-life advocate Alissa Golob, co-founder of RightNow, conducted an undercover operation in 2023 while 22 weeks pregnant, posing as an undecided woman at abortion clinics in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.1
The investigation, first revealed by The Catholic Register on November 19, 2025, aimed to test access to late-term abortions without medical justification.1
Three videos have been released, showing clinic staff offering procedures up to 32 weeks gestation.1
Clinic counselors and physicians described late-term abortions as a "mini stillbirth" and advised that the fetus could be expelled in a car.1
Reasons like having two children or simply "not wanting to be pregnant" were deemed sufficient for referrals to hospitals.1
The footage contradicts political claims that such procedures occur only for maternal health risks or severe fetal anomalies.1
Canadians expressed overwhelming shock and horror, with many unaware that late-term abortions were accessible without restrictions.1
Even some self-identified pro-choice individuals found the videos disturbing, arguing that unrestricted late-term procedures should not be allowed.1
Golob noted visceral responses, including messages from average citizens demanding answers.1
Abortion-rights groups, such as Action Canada, claimed the videos lack context and were edited.1
Golob countered that the recordings feature mostly clinic staff speaking, with full unedited versions shared with reporters for verification.1
None of the featured clinics have issued public statements or responded to inquiries.1
Conservative MPs, including Leslyn Lewis, Rosemarie Falk, and Garnett Genuis, shared the videos, as did People's Party leader Maxime Bernier.1
Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson condemned them, facing unexpected bipartisan pushback from Canadians.1
Healthcare professionals in private forums initially denied late-term abortions but were confronted with the evidence.1
Alberta's strict bubble-zone legislation prevents release of the Calgary video, risking fines or jail time for distribution.1
Golob described Alberta's laws as the most extreme in Canada, surpassing those in Ontario and Montreal.1
No further releases are planned until legal changes occur.1
Clinic staff reported that pregnancies ending after 20 weeks are classified as stillbirths, regardless of method.1
With voluntary provincial reporting, Golob argues Canadians lack accurate data on late-term induction abortions.1
She calls for transparency on the number and reasons for such procedures.1
The videos highlight easier-than-assumed access to third-trimester referrals for non-medical reasons.1
Golob believes the exposure has sparked a national conversation, challenging long-held assumptions about abortion practices in Canada.1
The story, originating from The B.C. Catholic, continues to intensify national debate as of December 1, 2025.1
Does the Catholic Church uphold late‑term abortion as morally permissible?
The Catholic Church unequivocally teaches that human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception, rendering direct abortion—including late-term abortion—morally impermissible at any stage of pregnancy. This doctrine, rooted in natural law, Scripture, Tradition, and the ordinary Magisterium, holds that the deliberate killing of an innocent human being is intrinsically evil and can never be justified by any circumstance, purpose, or law. Late-term abortion, which typically refers to procedures after 15 weeks or later gestation, falls under the same prohibition as it constitutes a direct attack on the life of the unborn child, who is already a person with inviolable rights. The Church's consistent witness across centuries affirms this without exception, emphasizing mercy for those involved while upholding the gravity of the act.
Central to this teaching is the recognition that life begins at conception and demands unconditional protection thereafter. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life." This principle extends to all stages, including late-term development, where scientific evidence further underscores the humanity and sentience of the child, such as the ability to feel pain as early as 12 weeks. Pope John Paul II, in Evangelium Vitae, declares that "direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being." He roots this in the natural law and the Word of God, transmitted through the Church's Tradition, insisting that "no circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit." This applies equally to late-term cases, where the child's advanced development only heightens the moral outrage, as affirmed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in their support for legislation banning such procedures: "No person or government has the right to take the life of any innocent human being, regardless of its stage of development."
The Church has maintained this stance from its earliest days, condemning abortion as contrary to the commandment "You shall not kill." Early Christian texts like the Didache explicitly state: "You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish." The Declaration on Procured Abortion from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in 1974 reaffirms that "the tradition of the Church has always held that human life must be protected and favored from the beginning, just as at the various stages of its development," opposing even the Greco-Roman practices of the time. Vatican II's Gaudium et Spes echoes this: "Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes." In 1987, the CDF's Instruction Donum Vitae further clarified that "human life must be absolutely respected and protected from the moment of conception," applying this to all interventions that threaten the embryo or fetus. These teachings culminate in the 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae, which surveys the Magisterium's history—from Pius XI and Pius XII, who excluded all direct abortion, to the Second Vatican Council—and declares the doctrine "unchanged and unchangeable." Even in cases of ectopic pregnancies or immature fetuses before the sixth month, the Holy Office in 1902 ruled against extraction that directly ends the child's life, prioritizing care for both mother and child.
A key nuance in Catholic moral theology distinguishes direct abortion from legitimate medical procedures that may indirectly result in the death of the child. Direct abortion—intending the termination of pregnancy as an end or means—is never permitted, regardless of gestational age or rationale, such as health concerns or fetal anomalies. The USCCB explains: "Abortion (that is, the directly intended termination of pregnancy before viability or the directly intended destruction of a viable fetus) is never permitted." Late-term abortions, often involving more invasive methods, exemplify this direct intent and thus remain illicit. However, procedures aimed at treating a serious maternal pathology—such as removing a cancerous uterus—may be morally acceptable if the child's death is an unintended secondary effect, provided the procedure cannot be delayed until viability and no alternative exists. Pope Pius XII articulated this in 1951: Such actions "could not be called a direct attack on the innocent life" if the death is inevitable but not willed. Yet, even here, the Church stresses that formal cooperation in direct abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae, underscoring its gravity (Canon 1398). The CDF's 2009 Clarification on Procured Abortion applies this to "difficult and complex situations," noting that tragic reasons like health or family hardship "can never justify the deliberate killing of an innocent human being."
Regarding late-term abortion specifically, the Church views it as particularly barbaric due to the evident humanity of the child and the heightened risks to the mother. The USCCB's letter endorsing the "Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act" highlights scientific consensus on fetal pain by 12-15 weeks and calls for federal protection starting at 15 weeks, stating: "It is long past time to end the barbaric practice of abortion, and to provide life-affirming alternatives that support and protect both mother and child." This aligns with broader teachings, such as Pope John Paul II's address in 1980, proclaiming "any wilful destruction of human life by procured abortion, for any reason whatsoever, is not in accord with God’s commandment." In 2000, he reiterated the fetus's dignity "from the moment of conception," rejecting qualitative stages in development. No Magisterial document carves out an exception for late-term cases; instead, all reinforce the continuum of life from conception to natural death.
In summary, the Catholic Church does not uphold late-term abortion as morally permissible; it is a grave sin against the inviolable right to life, intrinsically evil and forbidden without exception when direct. While offering compassion and paths to healing through confession and support for mothers, the Church calls for societal commitment to life-affirming care, urging laws and cultures that protect the vulnerable from conception onward.