Pro-Life action groups are being formed along both shores of the lower St. Lawrence River. In a recent organizing tour, at the invitation of local groups, Lucille Lavoie-Gordon, president of Coalition Pour la Vie, Quebec, visited Baie-Comeau, Hauterive and Matane. She spoke on Respect for Life and Our Duty as Citizens at four Masses at the Baie-Comeau cathedral. She also spoke, and showed the French version of The Silent Scream, to several other groups in the Baie-Comeau and Hauterive ... (Continue reading)
We said in our brief that it was unfair to exclude from jury duty in criminal proceedings, citizens having religious or moral beliefs relating to the crime. We argued that the courts might just as well reject from murder or rape trials anyone who believes such crimes are morally wrong. There was no one in that courtroom last October to object officially. There was no one to say, why are you excluding Canadians who believe in God? The brief, prepared by ... (Continue reading)
Campaign Life and Toronto and Area Right to Life, with the support of the pro-life groups of Ontario have established a committee to co-ordinate a second Ontario Pro-Life rally at Queen’s Park in Toronto on September 21. Many pro-life individuals have been calling for this rally because of the worsening situation of justice for the unborn in Ontario. Hence, the theme of the rally will be “Justice for the Unborn.” The co-ordinating committee is soliciting an input of ideas and full ... (Continue reading)
For four days Halifax newspapers carried Morgentaler’s portrait and story on their front pages: his anticipated coming, the events in Winnipeg, his arrival, his message. On Friday, March 22, the Mail-Star staff reported that pro-life groups in the area were “threatening” large demonstrations to protest the abortionist’s presence. Jim Christian of the group, Christians for Life, expressed the hope that “such opposition will be silent, will be prayerful.” Rusty James, vice-president of Dalhousie Student Union, was quoted by the paper ... (Continue reading)
The Manitoba struggle with Morgentaler resumed in early March of this year after a long pause of almost a year and a half. It started with Morgentaler ‘s promise to re-open his abortion clinic; Attorney General Penner’s earlier refusal of the League of Life’s request for an injunction to close the abortuary, if re-opened; and the subsequent March 7 rally of 3,000 at the Legislature. The controversy gained momentum with the resignation of the president of the ... (Continue reading)
At the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, on Tuesday, June 26, 1984, Mr. Justice Donald Medhurst ruled Bill C-169 unconstitutional under the Canadian Charter of Rights. He stated, in part, "I believe that the sections ... do limit the actions of anyone other than registered parties or candidates from incurring election expanses ... and in this sense, there is a restriction on freedom of expression." Bill V-169, the series of amendments to the Canada Elections Act was passed by all ... (Continue reading)
TORONTO - it is a great pro-life victory that Bill C-169, the amendments to the Canada Elections Act, has been thrown out by the Alberta Supreme Court. On June 26, 1984, Justice Donald Medhurst of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench ruled that the changes made to the freedom of expression guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The National Citizens Coalition and its president, Colin Brown of London, Ontario had asked the court to strike down ... (Continue reading)
On Father's Day, June 17, 1984, Campaign Life Ontario will co-ordinate a series of pickets to demonstrate throughout Ontario outside the hospitals which perform abortions. Campaign Life recently obtained copies of the abortion statistics for every hospital in Ontario (see pages 8 and 9 of The Interim). These figures cover abortions performed from 1980 to 1982 inclusive. The Statistics clearly show the need for more facilities, such as Morgetaler-style clinics, is non-existent as vast numbers of abortions are already performed annually ... (Continue reading)
In the December 1983 issue of Interim I gave a broad overview of the interesting situation in Langley, B.C. where the local hospital board of trustees has satisfactorily resolved a controversy over therapeutic abortions. In that article I promised to follow up with a second, detailing the ways in which this success was achieved. Background The 1968 changes to the Criminal Code of Canada, legalizing abortion in this country, opened a veritable Pandora's Box of evil consequences, which have affected every ... (Continue reading)
The pro-life women’s movement in Canada has recently made significant gains. Readers of The Interim will recall I have written before about the R.E.A.L. (Realistic, Equal, Active, for Life) Women of Canada which is a nationally incorporated organization recently formed to give pro-life, pro-family women a voice which had not been able to them before. It is perhaps necessary for me to admit here that I have a total bias in favor of R.E.A.L. Women as I am an executive member ... (Continue reading)
As my business occasionally takes me to different parts of Canada, recently I have begun to contact various pro-life groups in the cities I visit. In August, for example, I was in Calgary and in Edmonton (two days each), and in September, business took my partner and I to Vancouver for a week. I cannot speak too highly of the kindness and generosity extended by those I have contacted. Everywhere, people gave ... (Continue reading)
The Serena organization is composed of couples who use the sympto-thermal method of Natural Family Planning. Very basically, this method combines observation of mucus and other symptoms with daily recording of temperature in order to establish the fertile and infertile times in any given cycle. A very common question is – who or what is SERENA? Perhaps the best explanation of what SERENA stands for is stated in the objectives of the Serena Canada Corporation. Some of these ... (Continue reading)
It seemed apparent, therefore, that the next move was the organization - on a national basis- of a national umbrella group called "Canadian Advocates for Human Life." The purpose of the national body will be to coordinate and encourage the development of provincial chapters of pro-life lawyers, as well as to : assemble lawyers together to discuss pro-life issues; lend credibility to lawyers active in the pro-life field; serve as a ... (Continue reading)
The Manitoba League for Life organized their signature campaign in six weeks. A preliminary advertisement describing the drive resulted in signed coupons and donations arriving in the League's office at over 1,000 a day. More support came from churches, schools, pro-life groups and organizations. On March 30, the Winnipeg Free Press published 37,000 names in alphabetical order. The date was planned specifically so the campaign appeared publicly before Morgentaler opened his clinic. More names were gathered than were used, as they ... (Continue reading)
On May 10 over 80 pro-lifers picketed Iona Campagnolo in Thunder Bay. Ms Campagnolo was greeted by women and children carrying placards such as: Iona discriminates against tiny pre-born women;" "Iona does not have my vote;" and "Liberal support; Iona aborts!" Campagnolo, current president of the Liberal Party of Canada, is being talked of as the nest Liberal leader (see The Interim, March 1983). She is a C.A.R.A.L. board member and has publicly stated her approval of abortion on demand. In Thunder ... (Continue reading)