It is partly because of laziness, and partly because there is so much on which to comment, that I offer less a column than a number of notes, observations and questions:

  • Reacting to an Alberta priest’s decision not to allow a Planned Parenthood employee to get married in his church, Planned Parenthood Alberta executive director Melanie Anderson told the Medicine Hat News that, “I think the church should be concerned about what kind of precedent they’re setting. They could find themselves with some very empty pews.” While fewer people may be in the pews, it has more to do with abortion and birth control use and the resultant depopulation of Canada than the Catholic Church’s refusal to bend to the modern mindset.
  • Which reminds me: why do teachers’ unions support abortion? Is it not in their interest to have more children in societ?. As Campaign Life Coalition Nova Scotia president Herm Wills has often noted, there are empty classrooms and consequent school closings precisely because there aren’t children to populate them. Fewer children, fewer teachers. They should be able to do the math.
  • Bringing us to another case of abortion advocacy in the face of self-interest. Why do companies that manufacture products for babies – Pampers, Gerber, Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo – financially support Planned Parenthood? You would think that a company that sells diapers and baby food would want more babies.
  • From economics to politics, we come to Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark, who said he disagrees with the Liberal government’s decision to appeal the Ontario court decision permitting same-sex marriage. “I was surprised at the government’s position,” he said. “I wouldn’t want the Parliament of Canada to be dictating to churches what they should respect or not respect. I think that in terms of rights related to marriage – those should be available to all individuals.” So, churches should not be told that they should make marriage available to anyone coming around asking for it, but Clark thinks that no one should be denied marriage – which should be “available to all.” What can we say, but that the Tory leader is leaving the federal scene none too soon.
  • Relatedly, and lastly, Clark, who supports abortion and same-sex marriage, spoke to a reception after the Red Mass in Toronto on Sept. 19 and at St. Jerome’s College at the University of Waterloo the next day. Not a bad week for this heretic. Unfortunately for St. Jerome’s, my alma mater, the announcement of Clark’s invitation to speak on the issue of religion and public life – there could be no less qualified person to address the issue – came the same week they called soliciting donations. I told them there was no way and explained why. I set a condition for a renewal of support for the college: disinvite Clark as speaker or publicly apologize for the scandal caused by his presence. I encourage all alumni to call the college’s administration with a similar message. Whatever you might have donated to St. Jerome’s – or similar abortion-cavorting institutions – can be sent to pro-life groups, including The Interim.