British Columbia pro-life
activist Jim Demers will be sentenced this month after a provincial court
judge found him guilty of violating the province's Access to Abortion Service
Act, commonly known as the "bubble-zone" law.
Demers, who bases his protest
on international covenants calling for the protection of human life from
the moment of conception, was arrested in early December 1997 for a series
of protests outside Vancouver abortion clinics.
The Nelson, B.C. resident
and father of five has argued that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
should recognize the personhood of the unborn child from the moment of
conception.
He says it is inconsistent
for the Canadian government to support international accords recognizing
the right to life of the unborn, while repeated court decisions deny that
same right.
Demers's latest appeal was
rejected in December by British Columbia provincial court Justice J.J.
McGivern who said the Charter's use of the words "everyone" and "every
individual" excludes unborn children.
A British Columbia coalition
of pro-life groups expressed dismay at the McGivern decision.
Coalition spokesman Peter
Ryan, head of the Vancouver archdiocese's respect life office, said the
court ruling is a clear violation of civil liberties and freedom of expression.
"Now we have open season
against our youngest children," Ryan told The B.C. Catholic.
"Here in B.C., we even punish
those who defend these children ... As it stands now, you can be arrested
in this province for simply saying ‘Life is precious' in a public place."
