While many Canadians were celebrating Mother’s Day on May 10, many others were preparing for a weeklong schedule of events paying tribute to LIFE: Respect for Life.
From May 10 through 17, the three national pro-life organizations-Alliance for Life, Coalition for Life and Campaign Life-launched a nationwide protest against abortion, which became available on demand with the 1969 changes in the criminal code.
Vancouver
3000 congregated at Vancouver’s General Hospital and began their march to the Hospital’s Day Care Unit, where pro-lifers laid white crosses down on the lawn in front. The crowd continued on to the Shaunessy Hospital and the march concluded at a church hall.
Surrey-Delta
86 supporters many of them young people held a silent candlelight vigil in front of Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Richmond
150 participated in an interdenominational prayer vigil, which was followed by a candlelight walk to Richmond General Hospital.
Nelson City
Held a national walk for life. Unfortunately, the Nelson City Council refused permission to Nelson Future Life to display the street banner “National Week for Life” the first time in the city’s history that a street banner was refused.
About 75 people attended the mother’s day silent vigil held for the third consecutive year at Kootenay Lake District Hospital. Vigils were also held at Burnaby, Royal Columbian, Peace Arch, Nelson and Castelgar Hospitals. Some groups sponsored newspaper ads, pamphlets film showings and open house meetings at their offices.
Edmonton
At its ninth annual Mother’s Day March, 450 pro-lifers marched from the legislature to City Hall. Forty people held a vigil in front of Royal Alexander Hospital on May 14 in the evening.
Calgary
40 attended an afternoon vigil at Foothills Hospital and another 80 came out in the evening for a candlelight vigil in front of the Calgary General Hospital.
Saskatoon
300 joined in the annual Mother’s Day Walk. The silent walk lasted about an hour. Fifty pro-lifers turned out at City Hospital and another 15 at University Hospital for an hour-long silent vigil.
Winnipeg
Held its fifth annual “Respect for Life” week, and had a float in the annual Trappers’ festival parade. Silent vigils were held outside abortion hospitals, but received almost no media coverage.
Windsor
500 participated in the mother’s day walk and silent vigil at the beginning of Respect for Life Week. The crowd, made up of a great number of young people and young families, walked to Windsor Western Hospital to lay a wreath in memory of the unborn killed by abortion at that hospital.
Niagara Falls
About 300 attended the 10th annual Mother’s Day Walk for Life. The official ceremony, with special quest speaker Fr. Paul Marx, took place at the centre of the Rainbow Bridge, as the Canadians and the Americans joined in protest against abortion. The ceremony made as an appeal to the United Nations, and the Canadian and the American governments to protect the weakest members of society, was performed in English, French and Spanish.
Ceremony of Roses
Red roses were tossed off the bridge into the Niagara Gorge, as a symbol of the innocent blood spilled through abortion. The even was covered by 3 U.S. TV stations and CHCH TV in Hamilton.
St. Catharine’s
On May 14, a silent vigil was held outside of St. Catharine’s General Hospital, and copies of “Journey of the Unborn Child” were handed out to passers-by. A petition against the recommendations of the Powell report, signed by 3500 was presented to the General Hospital.
Brantford
About 50 attended an ecumenical service May 13 at Echo Place United Church, where Rev. John Tweedie spoke on the right to life of the unborn.
Toronto
800 came out for the Right to Life’s annual vigil and Walk for Life on the eve of Mother’s Day. And, despite heavy rain, 60 protesters among them teachers, lawyers, mothers and high school students-held a silent vigil at the Toronto General and Mt. Sinai Hospitals on May 14. Sadly, the vigil was little observed by the media.
Mississauga
65 picketed the Mississauga General Hospital on the eve of May 14 and invited hospital visitors and personnel to join in the vigil.
North Bay
100 demonstrated at the Civic Hospital, at North Bay’s first annual picket organized by Campaign Life.
Sudbury
Right to Life sent out news bulletins to 105 pastors of churches of all denominations and wrote letters to newspapers. On May 14 they held a vigil at Memorial Hospital, and of the various placards read one read “Take my Hand-Not my Life”. The rain stopped just in time for the evening vigil and 70 pro-lifers attended.
Quebec City
Coalition pour la vie-over 500 attended two information evenings sponsored by the Coalition. There was a special Mass held at St. Patrick’s Church on May 13.
Montreal
Held a silent vigil on May 14 in front of the Centre Hopitalier de L’Universite Laval, where 60 participated in a candlelight service.
Kentville
About 60 of King’s County pro-life members, together with 70 from Valley Action for Life, held a silent prayer vigil on May 14, in front of the hospital grounds.
Moncton
On May 9 a vigil for life was held in front of the Moncton Hospital, where a Petition for Life was available for signatures.
