September 29, 2023
Dear Maureen, I’m Pete Baklinski and this is your Canadian Pro-Life News Bits where I let you know what’s happening on our country’s pro-life and pro-family front.
Ignoring his own office's direction not to comment on the hugely successful Million Person March, Conservative leader Pierre Polievre came out strongly in favor of parental rights, even slamming Mr. Trudeau for “demonizing” parents who participated in the march. As Dr. Jordan Peterson noted on X (Twitter), it’s great to see the “conservatives are growing a spine.”
And, speaking about parental rights, Premier of Saskatchewan Scott Moe has followed through on his promise to use the Notwithstanding Clause to pass legislation to protect parents’ rights. This is great news for parents in that province. Bravo! Thank you to over 4,000 of you who signed our petition asking Mr. Moe to do just this. It worked!
Did you know there’s been a recent push to make contraception free for Canadian women? I’ve penned a report along with one of our summer interns about why that’s a bad idea. We interviewed a doctor about the dangers of hormonal contraception. And, we got some great comments from a leading pro-life advocate. In the end, “the pill” is bad all-round. You can read the whole piece here.
My colleague David Cooke has penned an important piece on his investigation into the drugs used to kill someone in Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). It turns out that there are no drugs authorized by Health Canada to kill someone by euthanasia. The ones currently being used are, as David points out, “completely unapproved and essentially experimental.” He’s right when he points out that this means that seriously ill and disabled patients are being treated as “lab rats.”
The Conservative Party of British Columbia, a surging political force that is quickly becoming the reigning NDP government’s strongest challenger, came out with a beautiful statement in favor of parental rights and against LGBT ideology.
I was really touched by the story in the “Inspiring Stories” section about the mom on her way to abort her child who called into a radio station looking for a “sign” and connected with a famous pro-life radio host who changed her mind on the spot. Powerful stuff!
You won’t want to miss the “Must See Video of the Week” where former Fox host Tucker Carlson describes abortion as a form of modern “human sacrifice,” stating that fighting abortion is a “spiritual battle” rather than a political debate. Wow!
Don’t forget that this Sunday is Life Chain. Click here to find a location next to you. I will be going out with my family too! I hope to see some of you there!
Finally, make sure you check out my reflection at the end where I respond to the pro-abortion argument that abortion is justifiable since the “fetus” is not a person.
Top Canadian pro-life stories you need to know about
Campaign Life Coalition Press Release: Annual Day of Public Witness for Children Killed by Abortion
“On Sunday, October 1, thousands of pro-life advocates from every province and one territory in Canada will gather along major streets and intersections to silently pray for one hour to end the killing of preborn children in their mothers’ wombs.”
Campaign Life Coalition Press Release: Premier Moe will use Notwithstanding Clause to defend new education policy
CLC President Jeff Gunnarson called it a “common-sense” policy that “recognizes what a majority of parents already know, namely that parents are the ones who have the best interests of their children at heart, and that parental authority must be respected.”
Campaign Life Coalition: Why universal contraception in Canada is a bad idea
“There has been a recent push to make contraception free for Canadian women.”
Campaign Life Coalition: Euthanasia Patients are Lab Rats
“When it comes to one particular “treatment” legalized in 2016, the Canadian public may be shocked to learn that no Health Canada approval has been secured, no testing has been conducted, and no official drug data is available. For seven years, untested and unapproved medications have been used – and continue to be used – effectively turning patients into lab rats.”
Campaign Life Coalition: Councillors May Ban Parental Rights Protests
“Waterloo Region Council voting to outlaw criticism of LGBT ideology. We must stop this unconstitutional by-law.”
Campaign Life Coalition: Advocating for Legal Protection of Pregnant Women: A Call for Change
“The Closing Plenary of the SDG Action Weekend brought to light a deeply unsettling and alarming statistic, as actress Natalie Portman, one of the many celebrity guests attending the summit, stated, "The leading cause of death for pregnant women is being murdered by their intimate partners." This grim reality underscores the urgent need for changes in Canada’s legal system to better protect pregnant women and their preborn children.”
Catholic Register: Miracles happen, says 40 Days for Life activist
“Maeve Roche will stand vigil for the unborn on Main Street and Broadway Avenue in Hamilton, Ont., for the third straight year starting Sept. 27 and ending Nov. 5. The youth and outreach coordinator for Campaign Life Coalition founded a 40 Days for Life presence in the port city as a 19-year-old in 2021 alongside her friend, Ana Rivera.”
The Standard: Ontario city votes to censor abortion victim images in new bylaw
“Flyers with graphic images of aborted fetuses can no longer be delivered to St. Catharines homes without a warning label and a cover.”
LifeSiteNews: Pierre Poilievre comes out in favor of parental rights, slams Trudeau after Million Person March
“The Conservative Party leader criticized the prime minister for 'demonizing' parents who participated in the march.”
Rebel News: Muslim Association of Canada rebukes Trudeau over parents' rights
"We call on politicians and school boards, beginning with Prime Minister Trudeau, to retract their deeply inflammatory and divisive comments and issue an apology to the thousands of Canadian parents hurt by these comments."
True North: TDSB trustee says parental rights don’t exist in response to One Million March for Children
“The Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) Ward 8 trustee Shelley Laskin told a parent supportive of the nationwide One Million March for Children that parental rights do not exist in Canada and that there are only children’s rights.”
CBC: Calgary bylaw aimed at protecting LGBTQ events faces legal challenge
“A City of Calgary bylaw that puts a buffer between protesters and drag events is facing a legal challenge over whether a municipal government has the power to enact such rules.”
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition: Toronto euthanasia clinic MAiDHouse killed 125 people in 2022
“MAiDHouse, is a euthanasia clinic in Toronto that offers euthanasia for people do not wish to die by euthanasia in a hospital…The MAiDHouse Annual Report exposes their plan to expand euthanasia by opening more death clinics.”
Conservative Party of British Columbia: Statement on Parental Rights
“Parents raise children — not government.”
Inspiring stories to give you hope
LifeNews: Mother Rejects Abortion After Randomly Calling Pro-Life Radio Show
“Catholic apologist and best-selling author Patrick Madrid gave a powerful response to a woman considering an abortion who called into his show on Relevant Radio.”
Live Action: British couple wins lottery, plans to use money to foster children
“A British couple has won £100,770 (approximately $124,000 USD) in the lottery — and the two say they plan to use the money to foster children.”
LifeNews: Woman Who Survived Abortion: “God is Not OK With Abortion, Every Life He Creates is a Miracle”
“As an abortion survivor, I want people to know the truth. And the truth is that God created life. He stands for life, and every life that He creates is a miracle.”
Live Action: Baby box saves first infant’s life in New Mexico town: ‘This is a great day’
“An infant was safely surrendered on Saturday, September 23, 2023, in a Safe Haven Baby Box in Hobbs, New Mexico. This is the first save at this location since the box was installed in May.”
Live Action: Premature twins set record at Cleveland Clinic, surviving at just 22 weeks
“Kimyah and DJ Jackson set a record at Cleveland Clinic as the youngest surviving premature twins when they were born at 22 weeks.”
Awesome pro-life-and-family social media posts this week
Campaign Life Coalition
Pierre Poilievre
Abby Johnson
Must-see video of the week
In this video, Tucker Carlson highlights what abortion truly is, an act of human sacrifice."Human sacrifice, particularly the sacrifice of children, has been a constant in human civilization and goes against the principles of evolutionary biology."
Take Action
Sign our petition to have Planned Parenthood banned from Canadian schools. Tap here to add your name.
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Maureen, you’ve probably heard the pro-abortion argument in one form or another that abortion is justifiable since a “fetus” is not a person.
There’s a great way for pro-life advocates like you and me to respond to this flawed argument.
At the moment a sperm unites with an egg, a new, unique, and totally unrepeatable human life begins. At the moment of fertilization, this tiny life is endowed with everything that makes this small living being a full member of the human family, including a genetic male or female blueprint, unique DNA, and, most importantly, a rational nature that separates humans from every other living thing.
This new human being, if she is a female, needs only support from her mother and time as she grows and develops in anticipation of her birthday. This new being, as she grows in the womb, is not part of the woman’s body but has her own matter that constitutes her own body, including, eventually, her own brain, heart, liver, and reproductive system.
In the final analysis, this new being is a unique individual with a human nature, which is what is meant philosophically by the word “person.” Therefore, at the moment of fertilization, a new human person emerges who is endowed with human rights, among these is the inalienable right to life.
The word “fetus” comes from Latin meaning “little one.” As Dr. Seuss correctly observed: “A person is a person, no matter how small.” It is evil to kill this newly created human person, no matter what her stage of development.
Therefore, “the fetus,” the little one, is a person with human rights, including the inalienable right to life, which must be respected and defended.
The pro-life movement is on the side of truth. That should make you bold and daring for life!
Pete Baklinski
Director of Communications
Campaign Life Coalition