“Wonderful … made my day. I feel terrific.” Those words from Campaign Life Coalition’s Rosemary Connell and Anne Marie Tomlins after the pair organized a highly-visible, pro-life witness outside Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, Ontario.

The November 22nd vigil drew about 60 people of all ages to the central Ontario community. Front and centre, the hospital’s so-called abortion ‘services’ but also freedom of expression, specifically signs showing the abortion holocaust in its true form.

The signs in question were those used in the Show the Truth campaign this past summer. In May, they were displayed along with pictures of unharmed, pre-born children outside the hospital. In October Connell says things turned nasty when a town police officer vowed to get them off the street. Others, she says were “very reasonable.”

She believes “we’ve come across one particular policeman who has been involved in an abortion, been responsible for an abortion.” Two weeks later, the same constable and four others, armed with a search warrant, seized four signs. The signs would be kept until the Justice of the Peace decides if they’re disgusting objects.

Meantime, the local Crown Attorney is deciding on charges. However, the matter has gone from the Regional Crown to the Provincial Crown Attorney.

Connell says Chief Randy Martin informed her his department was dealing with a repeat complainant and assured her police are not trying to keep pro-lifers off the street. Connell and Tomlins however aren’t buying it.

After consulting with their lawyer, the women were back outside the Lindsay hospital November 22 with signs that were part of the Show the Truth campaign. The signs had been approved in an earlier court case.

Not be to outdone, the Lindsay police force showed up, video camera taping as they drove by. Campaign Life’s cameras were also rolling.

In spite of the biting cold, the participants from across the region including Toronto and Eastern Ontario, held firm.

Jennifer Doleweerd of Oshawa heard of the problems and came to show support. Regina Gedge of Port Perry, also another first-time witness in Lindsay, showed up with her 13-year-old daughter. Mrs. Gedge feels “people that are pro-life have to stand up and say that it’s wrong.” Her daughter, Emily added her voice saying “it’s wrong to abort children.”

Dayna Gabourie, 14, of Peterborough, travelled with her parents and a four-month-old sister. She called abortion, ruthless, the most heartless thing anybody could ever do.” Another teen, Raymond Brown also from Peterborough, agreed saying “I just want to help stop it.”

Don Ellis, former Assistant Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services in the North-west Territories added his voice, calling human life “the issue of the century.” Now living in Peterborough he came with his family, wife Susan saying it was “a chance to show solidarity with the pro-life movement and the unborn.” Their eight-year-old son wants to become prime minister someday “and stop abortion.”

At the corner of Kent and Angeline Streets where honks of support outnumbered abuse, Andree Curtin, who lives near Lindsay, stood with a friend. Her smile turned to tears as she said “I’m hoping the young people will remember this.”

(See. ‘Signage battle heating up in Lindsay’ for a related story).