Interim Staff:
On April 8, the Halton Catholic District School Board rejected a motion to prevent school funds from supporting abortion, contraception, euthanasia, or embryonic stem cell experiments in a lopsided 2-5 vote against the motion.
Oakville school trustee Helena Karabela tabled the amendment to the HCDSB Fundraising Activities Policy to ensure no school funds are used to support abortion or other anti-life causes. The motion was seconded by Milton Trustee Emma Murphy.
The amendment to the fundraising policy read: “In keeping with the teachings of the Catholic faith on the sanctity of life, from conception to natural death, school and/or board fundraising efforts may not be directed to any registered charity or non-profit (including subsidiaries, affiliates and associates) that in any way are involved in or support advocacy, programs, financial or material support for abortion, contraception, euthanasia or human embryonic stem cell research.”
Josie Luetke, Campaign Life Coalition director of education and advocacy, encouraged supporters to attend the meeting and ask beforehand to delegate in favour of Karabela’s amendment. In her letter to supporters, Luetke said “No school board (especially one calling itself Catholic!) should voluntarily fund the killing of innocent human beings.”
At the board meeting, two student trustees spoke against the motion but no trustee voiced opposition to the amendment. It was then voted down 2-5. Karabela introduced a similar motion in 2022 that also failed to pass.
Luetke said, “Trustee Helena Karabela has repeatedly heroically put forward motions to prevent schools in the Halton Catholic District School Board from fundraising for charities or non-profits that support abortion, contraception, euthanasia, or embryonic stem cell research—all of which compromise the sanctity of life.”
In an email to supporters following the meeting, Karabela said, “While the amendment didn’t succeed, I’m proud I took a stand for life and for the victims of MAID, abortion, and embryonic stem cell research with you at my back, with your support, encouragement and prayers.”
She also told supporters, “Let us all continue to raise our voices for the most vulnerable victims of the culture of death and speak up for the culture of life.”
