Paul Tuns:

The Interim asked those in attendance at the National March for Life their motivations for taking part in the rally on Parliament Hill and marching through the streets of the nation’s capital. While united in their desire to give a voice to the unborn, they came to the pro-life issue for a myriad of reasons.

Kris Shoemaker traveled with a group from New Brunswick. The Plaster Rock native said “As a believer in (Yahweh), everyone has a right to life, whether it is the preborn and abortion or the elderly and euthanasia.” He was joined by Paul McPhee, from Saint Leonard, N.B., who said that he and his wife were unable to have children and his wife became a teacher who “devoted her life to children.” He said he hoped “more children would be given up for adoption so they could go to those who can’t have children, and not into the garbage,” after an abortion.

Kaleb Roberts came to the march with his Youth Team of Our Lady from Kitchener, Ont. It was his first March for Life and he said he came specifically “to give a voice to the unborn.” Asked why he felt the need to do that, he said, “life begins at conception and ends at natural death and government should honour that.”

Lorette Fleming joined her St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Oakville, Ont., to attend the march. She said she has been coming to the March for Life for 15 years – “probably more” in order “to witness to the abortion of unborn babies.” While acknowledging that “killing children” is wrong, another motivation for her to be a pro-life witness was seeing a family member “destroy her life and marriage” after having an abortion. She said the woman hurts to this day over the mistake she made killing her own child and Fleming hopes that others do not have to suffer as her niece does.

Emmanuel and Livian have come to the march for several years from across the Rideau River in Gatineau. Emmanuel said he wants to be “an advocate for those who are having their lives taken from them.” Livian said “I used to be pro-choice as a teenager” but as a Christian she looked into why her faith was opposed to abortion and came to accept the facts of life, so to speak. She also said that when it comes to “choice” there is no changing one’s mind on abortion.

Madeleine Rivet has been to the March for Life “at least 10 times.” When asked why she attends the march, she said matter-of-factly, “I don’t believe in killing children” because they are “children of God.” They deserve love, Rivet said, not “being sucked out of the mother.”

Eva, who joined a group from Lutherans for Life from Waterloo, Ont., was attending her first March for Life. She said, “It is really important for me to be here because abortion is a big issue in our culture.” She said, “I am a Christian and from that perspective the child is a human being.” She, and those from her group, said the March for Life exceeded the high expectations they had for the event.