New head for Newfoundland RTL
ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. – The Right to Life Association of Newfoundland and Labrador recently chose Lorraine Cole as its new president. She succeeds Philomena Rogers who had led the association for the last nine years. A mother of four children, Cole has been active in pro-life work since 1990. She has served as secretary and member of the RTL education committee. At the national level, Cole served as Newfoundland representative on the Alliance for Life board. One priority for the new president is to promote the respect for life message to a younger audience. “We have to teach (children) at an early age about the sanctity of all human life an that all children have a right to be born,” Cole said.
Media’s support faltering
FREDERICTON, N.B. – Delegates to the December meeting of the New Brunswick Right to Life association noted the increased difficulty on the part of the media to support the “false suppositions” of the pro-abortion movement. The delegates discussed pro-choice deception as one of the major issues now facing New Brunswick pro-lifers. “It is more difficult for the media to support an ideology based on mistruths,” said George Gilmore, president of New Brunswick Right to Life. He also said a number of incidents in New Brunswick and across Canada have called attention to the need for legal protection for unborn children.
Chastity team readies for tour
OTTAWA – Canada’s successful Chastity Challenge team is now preparing for its 1997 national tour which will take it to a number of Canadian high schools next May and June. The Chastity Challenge team upholds chastity as a means of promoting respect for marriage and sexuality, and to overcome the lure of promiscuity and premarital sex. The team recently returned to Ottawa after a tour of high schools in Ireland. “Wherever we went in 1996, from Ontario to California to Ireland, the students seemed open to what we had to say,” said Rebecca Morcos, one of the team leaders on the Chastity Challenge team. “The word is getting out that it’s cool to say no to premarital sex.”
Anticipating a federal election call
TORONTO – Campaign Life Coalition is considering a special meeting to plot strategy in the event of a federal election call. The federal Liberals are expected to call an election sometime in 1997, although the government’s mandate could extend into the following year. Pro-lifers speculate Prime Minister Jean Chrétien may opt for an early election to take advantage of disarray in the Conservative and Reform parties. Campaign Life hopes to have a pro-life liaison in place in each riding in time for the election.
More readers for supplement
WINNIPEG – The Manitoba League for Life is renewing efforts against euthanasia as one of its first initiatives of the new year. The Winnipeg-based pro-life organization is continuing a mass distribution of the popular euthanasia newspaper supplement which heralds the dangers of assisted suicide and a diminished respect for life. The group is also targeting chastity as a key message in Manitoba schools. It plans to promote material prepared by Dr. Rosemary Gilbert which upholds chastity as a positive, life-affirming force in adolescent sexuality.
No opposing views allowed
VANCOUVER – Two members of REAL Women of Canada were assaulted by officials with Vancouver’s Status of Women council November 19 while trying to attend an International Women’s Day planning meeting. The assault occurred when Cecilia Van Dehn and Peggy Holland of REAL Women Vancouver were denied entry to the meeting after revealing they belonged to the pro-life, pro-family organization. Charges are pending. The meeting was advertised as being open to “all women.” REAL Women noted the irony of the assault in light of the Status of Women’s efforts to raise awareness of violence against women. The group also questioned government funding of an organization practising discrimination and intimidation against groups opposed to their feminist ideology.