Representatives from across the country gathered in Sydney, Nova Scotia, during the last week of June to attend the Conference and Annual General Meeting of Alliance for Life.  Cape Breton Right to Life entertained their guests with a distinctive Cape Breton hospitality.

The theme of the Alliance Conference was “Caring for Life: from conception to natural death,” and an impressive line-up of guest speakers filled the programme.  Gerry Brunelle of Family Action, Dr. Carlos del Campo, and Dr. Claude Lanctot presented though-provoking and informative talks.  Workshops were varied, ranging from a discussion on unemployment and the quality of life to tip on how pro-lifers can effectively handle the media.  In addition to her banquet speech, Molly Kelly gave an excellent workshop on the topic of pro-life education, focusing on elementary and high school students.

General Meeting

At Alliance’s Annual General Meeting, Ed Newell of Truro was elected as President. A resolution was passed by the delegates approving a boycott of the Upjohn pharmaceutical company.  Upjohn  is the principal source of Prostin F2 alpha, a drug used since 1973 to induce abortions.  The company also produces prostaglandis that may in future be used for “at home” abortions.  U.S. pro-life groups have begun a complete economic boycott of Upjohn products.  Pro-lifers are asked not to purchase drugs made by Upjohn and a list of alternative drugs is available from Alliance for Life.

At a banquet held on Saturday evening the Kurelek award was presented to Mrs. Ivy Christie of Truro, N.S.  This award is presented annually by Alliance for Life to someone not formally involved in the pro-life movement who exemplifies the pro-life philosophy.  Mrs. Christie, although confined to a wheel-chair for the last 40 years, has care for 297 foster children.  Most of these children were abused, sick or abandoned.  At times there were as many as 18 children in the household.  Mrs. Christie believes that love and discipline are the two keys to successful child-rearing.  She was warmly received as she accepted her award.

Banquet speaker Molly Kelly was typically humorous yet poignant as she spoke on the need to teach chastity to teenagers.  A widow and mother of eight, Molly Kelly has been labeled “the Erma Bombeck of the pro-life movement.”  She is currently Executive Director of Pennsylvanians for Life and speaks to several thousand students per year.  Her witty, yet realistic approach to pro-life education was a fitting finale to Alliance’s Conference in Sydney.

The Coalition for the Protection of Human Life held their Annual General Meeting in Sydney at the same time.  They held a workshop on pro-life political action, and the members reaffirmed the mandate to lobby federal politicians from their office in Ottawa.

Frank Foley from Arnprior, Ontario, was elected the new President.