It's not often that I find myself agreeing with a member of the opposition. Now don't get me wrong ... I've always believed in the necessity of "knowing your opponent." But actually agreeing on strategy? Yes indeed!

 A year ago, John Hofsess of the Right to Die Society of Canada sent out a letter to his membership lamenting the tendency of similar groups to "rationalize failure." He continued: "I believe that heads of RTD organizations should be judged by the same standards of performance as corporate CEOs. If they do not achieve clearly defined objectives within a set period of time they should be replaced." Pretty strong stuff!

 Hofsess has clearly identified a problem inherent in any public-policy movement: the regrettable possibility of becoming an institution. By definition, I mean we as leaders in the pro-life movement, in fact any organization, can become so ingrained as leaders that we no longer take responsibility for our organization's failures.

 Now I recognize the reality that legislative and social change in Canada on abortion, in fact on any issue, is fraught with difficulty. Our parliamentary style of government and constant bickering among the provinces is not conducive to real democratic change. But there are still problems within our own movement.

 Michael Clarke of Real to Reel Ministries, has discovered this as he travels across Canada with his "Massacre of Innocence" abortion presentation. Clarke is blunt in his assessment of the state of the pro-life movement -- all too often unorganized, ineffective and somewhat content to stay that way.
Turf wars?

 Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics, based in Texas, has his own assessment of the North American pro-life movement: "There are differences, often involving nothing more than egos, personalities, pride, and petty turf battles, which cause pro-lifers to be more aggressive -- even vicious -- toward other pro-lifers than they would ever be to the pro-abortion side."

 Crutcher continues:  "(Because) their own organizations are mentally landlocked into thinking that things have to be done a certain way simply because that's the way they were done in the past, the result is a movement that never matures. As I point out in my seminars, the pro-life movement is almost 30 years old but it doesn't have 30 years' experience. What it has is one year's experience 30 times." 
 The wisdom gleaned here is not to be ignored. Nor is it meant to be a personal attack on anyone within the pro-life movement in Canada.  I, Ted Gerk, am just as guilty for losses and arrogance as the next pro-lifer.

 But surely, through it all, some serious soul searching is required. A past column of mine looked at the tragedy of judging other pro-lifers on the basis of whether they supported or helped trash Bill C-43.  Incrementalism, purism, compromise ... all terms heard around boardrooms of pro-life groups in Canada and the United States. All the while, babies die.

 It's time we as leaders, as a movement, did some serious soul searching. Some serious tactical strategies are required in Canada if we are ever going to make headway. Much more is needed than just electing pro-life politicians who then proceed to sell us and the babies out. Much more is necessary than just your usual educational campaign ... telling people what they already know yet refuse to act on. And accountability.

 When Hofsess issued his proclamation a year ago ... he also added that he would resign if his organization was not the "instigators of long overdue change." Predictably,  Hofsess has not resigned. The Right to Die Society of Canada changed nothing in Canada in 1997. Save for the fact they are moving their office to Ottawa from Victoria, the only change will be one of an address.

 Now, don't go out making a list of pro-lifers who should resign (unless your name is at the top of the list). What we should do -- this year -- is make a pledge. A commitment. It is time for things to happen in Canada ... time for the movement to be unified ... to put away the bickering ... its judgments of other people, the turf protection. Time for our movement and its leaders to actually meet together; to talk; plan strategy. Do something! To stop blaming only the politicians would be a start. Where does our own ineptitude enter into this ... our own shortcomings?

 As Mark Crutcher once stated: "If we end up losing, not because of what the abortion industry did to us, but because of what we did to ourselves -- there will be absolutely no defence for us whatsoever."