On August 28, Iona Compagnolo, Liberal party president, attended a party meeting in Bryson, Quebec. She was picketed by about 20 members of Renfrew County Right to Life.
One of those picketing was Mark Reilander of Pembroke, Ontario. The experience provoked him into writing the following letter.
Pro-life organizations across the country have been asked to challenge Iona Campagnolo’s stance of abortion on demand. She is currently President of the Liberal Party and may one day be Prime Minister.
As I drove with my wife and children to picket the arrival of Iona Campagnolo at the Bryson Lions Club on Sunday morning, I asked myself repeatedly, “what question can I possibly pose to Ms. Campagnolo that will make the slightest bit of difference to her abortion-for-anyone position? What question would at least provoke her to a little more thought on the subject?
After much soul-searching, I settled on one that might appeal to her as a mother. If I got a chance, I would ask her, “do you really want your own children to internalize and live this abortion mentality? The mentality that says, ‘I don’t need to be responsible for my actions, the doctor will take care of it. The mentality that says, ‘if anyone or anything gets in my way, or inconveniences me, eliminate it.’ The mentality that puts Me first and My rights and My material possessions over any other considerations. The mentality that says, ‘it’s My right to decide whether or not my child will live or die.’ This same mentality was responsible for the Holocaust of the Jews. The kind of world that the abortion mentality spawns is frightening to me, Ms. Campagnolo, do you really want your children to think and live this way?’
We stood at the door very quietly, with always a smile for those who walked by and entered the hall. Finally she was here. A car door opened and out stepped Ms. Campagnolo, and along with her a tall, attractive young woman who accompanied her. ‘Yes,’ Iona said to our small group of pro-life picketers, ‘I have children too. This is my daughter,’ and she gestured to the young lady.
They both stopped at the door and said a few words to one another before Ms. Campagnolo entered the hall. Her daughter then turned, and, while walking by our group, spat on the ground in front of us before disappearing into the parking lot.
I didn’t get a chance to pose my question to Iona Campagnolo, but sadly I knew at that point that I didn’t need to. The younger Campagnolo answered for her mother – without saying a word.
