In the forward to the newly introduced British legislation regarding human embryo research, Labour Health Minister Carolyn Flint wrote, "The birth of the first in-vitro fertilization baby in the world in 1978, the establishment of the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority in 1991, the screening of embryos for serious disease and the introduction of cloned embryos for stem cell derivation are clear [...]
The news that a Dutch TV game show was to give away organs as prizes to contestants who were awaiting organ transplants ended up being something of a hoax. The program aired in June, but the supposedly dying donor who was to give away her organs was healthy and there was, in fact, no organs available for transplant. The whole spectacle was [...]
Instead of demand reduction, for 20 years, Canada’s national drug-strategy has emphasized supply-side law enforcement — investigating, apprehending and convicting illicit drug growers and dealers. That effort comprised nearly three-quarters of what had been a $368 million budget in 2004-2005. Filling out the rest of the pie were treatment, research, prevention and harm reduction. The Conservatives’ March budget was a step in [...]
The May 21 case of another newborn abandoned in Saskatchewan reveals grave deficiencies in Canada’s legal protection of children. Like the Saskatoon mother who left her baby in the frigid Feb. 3 weather, the mother who left her baby in the toilet of a Prince Albert Wal-Mart will likely not be charged with a crime. As Calgary Sun editor Licia Corbella pointed [...]
On May 15, Jerry Falwell, the well-known U.S. televangelist, died at the age of 73. An obituary will appear in the next issue of this paper, in which his life and legacy will be remembered, but it is important to note not only his influence on American politics, but the lessons he provided to us all. A fundamentalist preacher who founded Thomas [...]
Rev. Pierre Allard, pastor and president of the International Prison Chaplain’s Association, relates a telling detail that speaks to the state of fatherhood today: “Come Mother’s Day, … chaplains are flooded with requests for Mother’s Day cards. In 21 years of ministry in prison, I am yet to be asked for a Father’s Day card.” This anecdotal evidence illustrates at a glance [...]
The Interim highlights the reaction of prominent Democrats and Republicans to the U.S. Supreme Court decision on partial-birth abortion on page 3 of this issue. But, we have to note one here with an explanation. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) said, “I would only say that this is the only decision a lot of us wish that Alito weren’t there and [...]
The news that a full-time homosexual radio station has taken to the airwaves in Toronto must be causing more than a little chagrin among social conservatives in Canada and not just because of the fact the homosexual lobby will get yet another outlet to propogate its views to a wider audience. The licence for the station was awarded by the Canadian Radio-television [...]
The world depicted in P. D. James’ recently adapted novel, The Children of Men, is ravaged by a pandemic of infertility. A mysterious plague has left women barren, schools empty and streets quiet. In James’s vision, there is no hope for the future because, without children, there simply is no future. With last month’s first look at the data from the 2006 [...]
Given our gratitude in the pro-life movement whenever a single abortion is prevented, we observed with interest two recent features in the mainstream media. Time magazine’s Feb. 26 cover story, “The abortion campaign you never hear about,” was skeptical about our cause, but portrayed the commendable efforts of some strong-stomached pro-lifers witnessing directly to abortion providers through “common ground” efforts. A compelling, [...]
This year as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms celebrates its 25th anniversary, Canadians can be forgiven if they hold their applause. That is because a document that clearly enshrines so many rights has had such a mixed record of actually defending them. Indeed, since the ratification of the Charter in 1982, some of our most fundamental freedoms have been eroded by [...]
Telus Mobility, the second largest cellphone service provider in Canada, was offering pornography to subscribers with web-surfing capabilities on their phones. This had a lot of customers upset. Vancouver’s Catholic Archbishop Raymond Roussin was even among those speaking out against the furthering of pornographic accessibility. Roussin urged Catholics who were using Telus to take their business elsewhere – and to let the [...]
This month marks the beginning of our 25th year of publishing The Interim. Some might consider that a failure. After all, in the early days of this paper, no less a leading pro-life voice than Joseph Borowski predicted that protection for the unborn would be won within three to five years. But considering the obstacles that the pro-life movement has faced – a [...]
Vancouver Sun reporter Peter O’Neil wrote in a recent article on the next move by social conservatives in the same-sex “marriage” debate, which includes a call by some for a royal commission on marriage and family, that they are captive to the Conservative party: They “have no electoral option, and the threat of simply sitting on their hands in the next election [...]
When Canadian proponents of same-sex “marriage,” and their complacent allies in media and politics, said after the defeat of the December vote to revisit the same-sex “marriage” issue that it was time to “move on,” who knew what Canada was moving on to. On Jan. 2, the Ontario Court of Appeal created a new public policy issue when it recognized the legal [...]