On January 14, at the Senator Motor Hotel in Timmins, Ontario, Premier Petereson was picketed by 50 pro-life protesters as he attended a cabinet meeting. Campaign Life Timmins organized the demonstration which took place in –28 degrees winter weather.
Premier Peterson was scheduled to arrive at 6:00 p.m. when the picket began but because of a flight delay didn’t show up until 8:30 p.m.
He did speak to the demonstrators when he arrived and when he was asked to close the clinic he said he “would love to” (an answer he has given many times before). He went on to say that “it was before the courts” and that he was not a “dictator” (another favourite Peterson reply). When the picketers pointed out that the Attorney General was pro-abortion he thought those were “harsh words.”
The Premier promised to meet with the president of Campaign Life Timmins, Mr. John Lemire, the next day, but called to say that he couldn’t make it.
It was a very successful picket according to one of the organizers. Some of the chants and slogans used were:
“Close the ‘clinic’”
“Peterson pawn of the NDP”
“Who’s the Premier? David Peterson or Ian Scott?”
“Enforce the law now”
“Peterson keep your word”
The demonstrators also handed-out a number of different pro-life flyers which questioned Premier Peterson’s inaction on the abortion question.
