On a hot and muggy July evening, 15 nondescript-looking women gathered at the Trinity-Saint Paul Chapel. With few expectations a rather unremarkable lot, and it was hard to believe that they represented the driving force behind the Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinic (OCAC). Paranoiac I’ve been to quite a few of these feminist meetings, so I knew what to expect. As usual, [...]
The Supreme Court of Ontario has recently put an end to a David vs. Goliath battle over the spending of union dues. In a decision hailed by many as a step forward for freedom in Canada, Mr. Justice John White has ruled that a teacher’s union, the Ontario Public Servant Employees Union (OPSEU), must refund a portion of dues to non-union members [...]
Because of the high rate of success of our sidewalk counselors, the Morgentaler abortuary has re-established its escort service for mothers going into the abortuary. * * * Campaign Life Coalition, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Rosalie Hall maternity home joined forces to save a girl in Calgary from having an abortion. Campaign Life Coalition in Calgary is following [...]
On July 7, a couple going into the Morgentaler abortuary were offered assistance by sidewalk counselors, Barbara Brown and Hermina Dykxhorn. After much discussion the couple left, but there was still some question as to whether or not they would return. On the following morning, one of the follow-up teams visited the couple at their home, and after further counseling the couple [...]
At noon on July 30, in the back lane of Morgentaler’s Toronto abortuary, father Ted Colleton led a group of witnesses for life in the recitation of four decades of the rosary. At the end of the fourth decade, Father went to the back steps of the abortuary to recite the fifth decade and was charged with trespassing. While Father was kneeling [...]
On the evening of July 6, Toronto area Pro-life supporters held a vigil in support of P.C. David Packer outside 14 Division police station. It was the third such event held to support this brave police constable who refused “guard duty” at Morgentaler’s illegal abortuary. The vigil was held on the eve of Packer’s second appearance before the Police Commission, at which [...]
Gerarda Savoir of Niagara Falls has organized a petition in support of Constable David Packer to be sent to Police Chief Jack Marks. It reads: “We, the undersigned, beg leave to petition you as follows: “Whereas Police Constable David Packer has been charged under the Police Act with failing to carry out an order, and faces possible punishment as a result of [...]
I have been a Catholic for 74 years and a priest for 47 – an interesting juxtaposition of figures! If half the things people say about me are true, I must be an “Orthodox” Catholic. Basically that means that I accept the official teaching of the Catholic Church as proclaimed by the Pope and the bishops. Obviously there is more to it [...]
Baby R, (the British Columbia baby made a ward of the government before birth) now two months old, is in the loving care of foster parents. A family court custody suit ended July 17, at which time Judge Brian Davis stated that he would reserve his decision until September 3. The mother has filed an application to have the child returned to [...]
Law suits In 1980, Betty Mekdeci, head of the Association of Birth Defect Children in Orland, Florida, launched a most widely-publicized lawsuit against Merrell Dow over Bendectin. Her son was born with chest deformities, a shortened right arm and two fingers joined on his left hand, attributed to her use of the drug. A federal court in Orlando awarded $20,000 to the [...]
The National Right to Life Conference for 1987 was held in New Orleans in June, attended by some 1,500 delegates representing all states of the Union. Following the conference, The International Right to Life Federation held a seminar including reports from pro-life leaders around the world. The presence of well-known experts from many countries, and the contribution of their expertise and experience [...]
If a person really believes that abortion is the taking of a human life, is it enough to simply oppose abortion? Jim Demers has, by his actions, given a clear answer as to what his position is on that very difficult question. In January 1985, Jim Demers was charged with theft, possession of stolen property, and mischief following an incident at Kootenay [...]
Robert Scott’s abortion facilities on Gerrard Street in Toronto was the scene of an exciting pro-life demonstration on July 24. Over the course of the day, over 200 supporters gathered to protest the illegal operations of his ‘clinic.’ Protesters were out for an early start, and the numbers grew as the day progressed. Early in the afternoon, 15 protestors sat down on [...]
Gay rights in Manitoba Pat Soenen On July 16, following a marathon session, Manitoba’s NDP government passed its controversial Human Rights Code (Bill 47), into legislation. The Code, introduced in May by Attorney General Roland Penner, encountered very stiff opposition due primarily to the inclusion of “sexual orientation” among the prohibited grounds of discrimination. The weeks following introduction and preceding passage of [...]
July 1985 Premier Peterson, speaking in the Ontario Legislature, confirms that the new Liberal/NDP government will seek “methods of having fair and even access across the province for regularly constituted abortion clinics.” Verbal violence of the media (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, television and radio) against pro-life picketers continues to accelerate (“Anti-choice fanatics…”, anti-choice extremists…”, dangerous lunatic fringe…”, Pro-life terrorists…”, deranged minority…”, [...]