LIFE-CHAIN tops a million

In 1987, pro-lifers lined a busy intersection in Yuba City, California, holding signs such as “Abortion Kills Children” and “Jesus Forgives and Heals.” The event attracted a gathering of 2500 and the organizers, Please Let Me Live (PLML), deemed this first “Life Chain” to be a modest success. Little did they know that their rally would soon gain widespread appeal and become North America’s favorite type of pro-life demonstration.

This year, organizers are calling it one of the largest pro-life events ever staged and possibly the largest grass roots demonstration in the history of North America. On October 4, over one million took part in the second annual Life Chain.

The Americans, as is their habit, came out in astonishing numbers. In the United States 950,000 participants showed up, with St. Petersburg, Florida, being the largest at 30,000. Organizers here say that the Canadian totals were slights over 75,000 and that the number of cities participating was 100, up from 70 of last year.

Every province across Canada was represented and once again Vancouver had the greatest turnout at 13,000. The following are the totals that were received at the Toronto coordinating office. If your city has been left off the list, please write and inform us.

British Columbia           Ontario
Duncan       600       Madoc           100
Rossland Trail       200       North Bay       585
Chilliwack       1,800       Burlington       550
Powell River       88       Brantford       1,000
Nanaimo       400       Ottawa           700
Sunshine Coast   100       Timmins       80
Creston       130       Alliston       75
Kelowna       460       Lindsay       325
Vanderhoof       300       Niagara Falls       4,100
Prince George       900       Harrow       70
Langley       1,000       Fort Francis       34
Vancouver       13,000       Rainy River       15
Victoria       800       Tottenham       225
Abbotsford       2,280       Pembroke       132
Huston           100       Ingersoll       110
Vernon           1,800       Leamington       300
Dawson Creek       200       Kingston       700
Mission       380       Stratford       512
Fort St. John       52       Mississauga       3,000
Williams Lake       250       New Liskeard       150
100 Mile House   258       Chatham       200
Smithers       325       Guelph           325
Cranbrook       200       Woodstock       70
Revelstoke       115       Emo           35
Alberta               Pinewood       16
Vermilion       45       Stratton       14
Wainwright       400       Barwick       15
Edmonton       600       Waterloo       1,200
Calgary       1,225       St. Thomas       120
Lethbridge       500       Cambridge       325
Tabor           197       Cornwall       1,450
Pincher Creek       30       Sarnia           2,000
Bow Island, Burdett   70       Belle River       170
Sudbury       2,800
Saskatchewan           Essex           400
Regina           1,000       Port Elgin       511
Saskatoon       550       Elliott Lake       137
Yorkton       175       Georgetown       325
Estevan       130       Barrie           135
Swift Current       150       Aurora           415
Napanee       50
Quebec               Simcoe           171
Montreal       500       Thunder Bay       150
Quebec       80       Peterborough       300
Brampton       500
New Brunswick           Belleville       685
Moncton       93       Hamilton       2,000
Sault Ste. Marie   1,846
Nova Scotia               Toronto       5,000
Yarmouth       655       Trenton       550
Sydney Mines       850       London       3,200
Halifax/Dartmouth   425       Wallaceburg       250
Sydney       100       Kirland Lake       105
Antigonish       200       Windsor       700
Kentville       850
Port Hawkesbury   400
Newfoundland
Prince Edward Island       Marystown, Burin Pen.   295
Charlottetown       120       St. John’s           150