Michael Doyle fought to uphold pro-life principles in Toronto Catholic schools.
The oldest of seven brothers, Michael Doyle passed away peacefully on July 27, 2013, after losing a battle with cancer. Born and raised in Dundrum, Ireland, Michael, and his wife Anita, immigrated to Toronto in 1968. In addition to being a husband, father of four and grand-father of six, Campaign Life Coalition national president Jim Hughes said Doyle served the Catholic Church and his community with devotion and faith.
Doyle was an electrician by trade, but was also involved in municipal politics as a trustee for the Etobicoke school board and later the Metropolitan Separate School Board.
David Hogg, former trustee and colleague of Michael Doyle remembers his friend as a leading voice among the trustees who was always concerned about spiritual matters within the school board. Hogg told The Interim, “he always wanted Catholic to be in the title of the school board and I believe he got his wish when the board changed from MSSB to TDSCB.” He said Doyle was “humble and Catholic to the bone.”
Hogg also said it was with Doyle’s leadership that Toronto Catholic schools would raise money for Aid to Women (a local Toronto Crisis Pregnancy Centre) by handing out coin boxes at Halloween as a pro-life alternative to UNICEF.
In 1996, Doyle spearheaded efforts to get a hard-hitting pro-life pamphlet in to the schools for Respect for Life Week. Called “Who Will Be Today’s Wilberforce?” Written by The Interim columnist Frank Kennedy, the pamphlet presented a startling parallel between the acceptance of slavery 200 years ago and the acceptance of abortion today.
In 1997, when the school board wanted to resume its fundraising initiatives for UNICEF in Toronto schools, Doyle launched a devastating attack against UNICEF revealing its pro-abortion, anti-family objectives that have been flying under the radar for many years. Hughes said that thanks to Doyle and several of his pro-life colleagues, such as Hogg, on the board, UNICEF’s attempt in Ontario to raise funds from Catholics sources was ended.