FREEDUMB (i.e., ignorance) is a pro-abortion weapon
Pro-abortionists do not want the scientific evidence on the humanity of the unborn child to be publicized. Alfred Moran, executive vice-president of Planned Parenthood of New York is extremely concerned that the pro-abortion position is in jeopardy because as he admits, “advancing technology has the capacity for a whole range of medical and technical programming in which we begin to see the fetus as a patient, WHICH TENDS TO PERSONALIZE IT”. Pro-abortionists have worked hard to fight against the principle of informed consent whereby a prospective mother considering abortion would be given all the facts about the humanity of the unborn child and its suffering in abortions.
More recently, Art Finley, the CJOR line host who takes every opportunity to disparage pro-lifers and who sickeningly eulogized Dr. Morgentaler, blames pro-lifers for upsetting women by showing them pictures of aborted children or by giving them information about their humanity. Numerous instances of suppression of the truth on abortion abound. At UBC during pro-life week, students who had a display including pictures of mutilated unborn children were ordered to remove the “offending” objects. Some of you may have seen the new ultrasound films of unborn children. The sight of the living, moving, active unborn children even after only a few weeks is incredibly moving and exciting, but most of all, incontrovertible evidence on the humanity of the child.
National Right to Life News from the United States reports the birth of the world’s smallest living human. Melissa Maurer was born in Victoria, Texas after only 20-22 weeks of pregnancy. Melissa weighted just 18 ounces (504 g)! We wonder what Dr. Morgentaler, the businessman, might have to say since he has stated that “up to five months, there is only tissue”. Did Melissa magically become transformed from tissue to a newborn child overnight?
Media mathematics
Pro-lifers continue to be at a disadvantage in media coverage. Consider the reporting of a rally by Christians for life in which 1,000 pro-lifers turned out for a march from City Hall to Vancouver General Hospital. Although the count of 1,000 was corroborated by the police, the Vancouver Sun and province reported only 300 supporters. In Trail a newspaper somehow reduced the figure to 250. Such counts are indicative of the liberties taken with elementary mathematicians that pro-abortionists take.
Recently, on the matter of Morgentaler and his Winnipeg and Toronto clinics, the Vancouver Sun and Province have printed highly biased articles in favour of Morgentaler. Morgentaler is depicted as a hero for breaking the law. Can you imagine the reaction there would be if pro-lifers attempted to violate the law by stopping abortions by force? We would hardly expect the media to call those actions heroic.
B.C. Campaign Life funds
Man does not live by bread alone, but you certainly can’t go far without it. Campaign Life’s treasury is all but depleted with some expenses still unpaid. The largest expense is a legal fee of $2,300.00 from the lawyers who are fighting the Surrey Hospital appeal.
Election post mortems
Despite Campaign Life’s best efforts to obtain the views of candidates on Pro-Life issues, not a single elected MLA gave commitment to defense of life. Five pro-life candidates were supported but not elected. Social Credit candidates were apparently instructed to say that abortion matters are Federal Issues. This evasiveness tactic did not seem to bother the Social Credit government when it took over the Surrey Memorial Hospital Society and Board of Trustees. NDP candidates make no effort to avoid a position on abortion. This unbending policy was reaffirmed with absolute determination in the recent NDP meeting in Alberta.
So one-sided was the NDP statement on abortion that the Vancouver Sun reported that the lone dissenter who tried to get the Party to consider the unborn children was “humiliated”. The Party berated the Manitoba officials who have charged Morgentaler and the workers in the Winnipeg Clinic with violation of the abortion law for “harassment”. In other words the NDP Party supports breaking a law of Canada. The Party calls the arrest of abortion clinic personnel, harassment. What so they call the destruction and mutilation of unborn children, “BUSINESS AS USUAL”?
50,000 Signatures against Morgentaler ‘clinics’
Pro-lifers have reacted strongly against pro-abortion activists who want Dr. Henry Morgentaler to establish illegal abortion clinics in B.C. as he has done in Winnipeg and Toronto. Spearheaded by Asla Rendle, President of the Pro-Life society of B.C., volunteers obtained over 50,000 signatures petitioning the Attorney general of B.C., not to allow the establishment of the Morgentaler clinics in B.C. campaign Life B.C. is planning to present the 50,000 signatures to the Attorney General in conjunction with a meeting with the Social Credit Caucus. Campaign Life has been trying unsuccessfully to obtain such a meeting at which time, Campaign Life’s Brief on Abortion Funding would be discussed. The Brief which has been sent to all members of the Legislative Assembly resulted in few replies from the MLA’s. The Brief calls for the removal of payments for abortions from the Medical Services Plan as well as cessation of funding for pro-abortion referral agencies. We need your help to let the MLA’s know that there are many of us voters who strongly object to our forced financial support of what we know is so morally reprehensible.
N-O- to B.C. P.P.
In a CP report from Vancouver published on Aug. 18th in the Toronto Star it was stated that the health ministry in British Columbia will end its 15 year support of the Planned Parenthood assoc. It is reported that this will create a $116,000 gap in Planned Parenthood’s budget, funding that paid for one-third of the cost of running 17 birth control clinics in B.C.: It said that teenagers make up more than half of the “clinic’s patients”. B.C. Health Minister Jim Neilson said that teenagers should discuss it with their parents if “they need birth control”.
Saskatchewan
Last fall Campaign Life prepared and presented a brief to the new Conservative government of Saskatchewan. A delegation went to Regina to present the brief personally to our Health Minister, the Honourable Graham Taylor and our Attorney General, the Honourable Gary Lane. A copy of the brief was sent to all members of the provincial parliament.
This brief addressed the rights of the unborn, the rights of the mother, the health and life of the mother and the problem of abortion in Saskatchewan. It requested action to solve the problem. The action requested was the abolishment of Therapeutic Abortion Committees in our province. The brief pointed out that this action was within the power of the provincial government and that there was legal precedent.
It was recognized that “there are few things certain in politics and law; and although we think otherwise, it may be that the courts and other agencies would find a way to frustrate efforts to eliminate the abortion committees.” So, a section of the brief outlined alternative action the provincial government could take if they were forced to reinstate Therapeutic Abortion Committees in Saskatchewan. A separate letter made it clear that these measures were presented as an alternative only if abolition of TACs, was fought successfully in the courts. It was hoped that the provincial government would be prepared to go to court to fight for the protection of unborn children.
The alternative measures presented included, at the very least, developing guidelines for TACs, as well as control over TACs through the power to monitor TAC activity given to the Minister of Health in the Criminal Code. A cease funding would not be necessary though, if action was taken to eliminate unnecessary abortions. Again, it must be stressed that these alternatives were meant for use only if the courts ordered reinstatement of TACs.
When the provincial government failed to act on the first brief, a second approach was studied. Campaign Life composed another brief which outlined an alternative approach the Conservative government could take which would effectively eliminate abortions in Saskatchewan. Before going to Regina, the brief was presented to Saskatoon Caucus members in Saskatoon. Members present included: the Hon. J. Sandberg, E. Bacon, R. Folk, B. Meyers, C. Glauser and K. Young. Harry Baker from out of town also attended.
These members were very receptive and encouraging. Evelyn Bacon, on behalf of the other members present, urged Campaign Life to take the alternative to Regina and present it to the Conservative Caucus members for the whole province.
Getting this second opportunity to present the alternative action proved to be difficult. For a while it looked like Campaign Life would not receive an appointment during this sitting of the legislature. However, the personal intervention of the Premier’s wife, Mrs. Chantal Devine, made a presentation possible on the evening of April 20. Campaign Life delegates met with Health Minister Graham Taylor earlier in the day, giving him a personal presentation.
The alternative action proposed was very detailed and cannot be adequately reported in our newsletter. The action centred around an investigation of all abortions in the province by a committee of doctors who recognize the abuse of the abortion law occurring in Saskatchewan hospitals right now. However, to make this action as effective as eliminating TACs, many other procedural requirements were proposed to be adopted simultaneously.
Right now in our province, all deaths of children from 20 weeks post conception to 1 month post partum are investigated by a committee of doctors called the Perinatal Mortality Committee. There is only one such committee for the whole province. The purpose of this committee is to ensure these deaths have not resulted from insufficient or incompetent medical care. It was proposed a similar committee be established to investigate all deaths from conception onward, due to abortion. The purpose, of course, to ensure that abortions are not granted when an alternative method of treatment is possible. This, in conjunction with the other safeguards proposed, would effectively eliminate abortions in Saskatchewan.
Members present in Regina included: the Hon. J. Sandberg, L. Birkbeck, D. Meyers, A. Tusa, L. Muller, P. Meagher, S. Dutchak, J. Gerich, R. Jatzman, L. Domotoo, B. Smith, H. Martens, C. Glauser, G. Dirks, H. Baker, E. Bacon, M. Rybchuk and J. Zazelenchuk. Though only 18 of 57 members were present, the brief was well received again. Campaign Life continues to try to meet with Cabinet Ministers, though only two have responded to date (the Hons. N. Hardy and P. Schoenals).
While in Regina Campaign Life gave Mrs. Devine a dozen long stemmed red roses(our pro-life symbol), in appreciation for her intervention.
As stated previously, the lack of action to eliminate unnecessary abortions in Saskatchewan following our first brief is what prompted the second brief. And, although the second brief was received well and we were definitely given encouragement, there is still no sign of action from Regina. We have elected a provincial government sympathetic to the pro-life cause. However, sympathy doesn’t save lives – action does. What is needed to save lives of the children is action – an active pro-life government.
Please write to your MLA, the Health Minister, and the Premier, and urge them to take action now, when lives are being lost. Encourage effective action. Also, if your MLA wasn’t listed as present for our second proposal, you might ask him/her why not, and encourage them to find out what is going on. To write to your MLA you do need a stamp. Any letters could be followed up with a phone call. We would be interested in the responses you receive.
Speak up – your sympathy doesn’t save lives either. Your voice must be heard; you must take action too. Our elected MLAs represent us; if they aren’t active enough, maybe it’s because we aren’t active enough.
