Honourable mentions: There are notable stories that would typically make the top 10 list, but do not – although they still warrant acknowledgment: the media fury over the 7 billionth person in the world being born; the British Columbia Supreme Court ruling against polygamy; the Supreme Court of Canada decision to keep the Insite “safe injection” clinic in Vancouver open; the release of the pro-life film 180; the Pro-Life Club at the University of Calgary challenging the university’s “non-academic misconduct” violations for their pro-life activism; the Crown withdrawing trespass charges against three Carleton Lifeline members in relation to their October 2010 campus pro-life activism; the growth of the life-saving 40 Days for Life vigil both in Canada and abroad; and the renewal of provincial and regional Campaign Life conferences and forums in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and four locations in Ontario.
10. Prince Edward Island remains abortion-free: In October, the P.E.I. Reproductive Rights Organization began agitating for the provincial government to renew funding for abortions committed on the Island. In 1986, P.E.I. became “abortion-free,” although the government does pay for women who go to the mainland to procure abortions. On Dec. 16, provincial Health Minister Doug Currie said the government would not change the Island’s abortion policy.
9. Storseth human rights bill: In September, Conservative MP Brian Storseth (Westlock-St. Paul) introduced C-304, a private member’s bill that would repeal Section 13 (the hate speech provisions) of Canada’s Human Rights Act. On Nov. 18, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson endorsed the bill and it is now expected to be passed in early 2012.
8. The House of Horrors: Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell and his staff faced at least 39 criminal counts in connection with the murder of a pregnant woman and at least seven newborn babies. Investigators discovered unhygienic conditions including uncleaned surgical equipment, bloodied floors, and the stench of cat urine in the Philadelphia abortuary where Gosnell kept aborted babies and fetal parts in jars in refrigerators and freezers. The story garnered international attention and served as a catalyst in two states for new laws and regulations to better monitor abortion facilities.
7. Launch of Sun News: In April, a new conservative television channel aired, giving Canadians an alternative to the state broadcaster and other traditional news programming. Sun News features unabashedly pro-life hosts such as Michael Coren and Brian Lilley and pro-freedom crusader Ezra Levant, all of whom cover issues seldom addressed elsewhere in the so-called mainstream media. They frequently have pro-life and pro-family guests on their programs. Fans and critics alike refer to Sun News as “Fox News North.”
6. The status quo elections: The Conservatives kept hold of government in Ottawa albeit they increased from a minority to majority. Few pro-life leaders expect them to do much in the way of abortion or gay issues, but they also do not expect radical social engineering battles at the federal scene either. Indeed, the government has steadfastly refused to re-open the euthanasia issue despite concerted media pressure and with a Conservative majority, it appears that measures to rein in the Canada Human Rights Commission might pass. In Ontario, the McGuinty Liberals were reduced to a one-seat minority, which is not expected to slow down the provincial government’s radical activism in the schools. Governments in Prince Edward Island (Liberal), Manitoba (NDP), Newfoundland and Labrador (Progressive Conservative), and Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Party) were also re-elected, signifying that there is unlikely to be much change in life and family policy in those jurisdictions.
5. ‘Equity’ and ‘tolerance’ cover for gay agenda in schools: In both Ontario (province-wide) and British Columbia (Burnaby), school boards were implementing inclusivity and equity regulations that would provide special protections for self-identifying gay students and normalize homosexuality in the classroom. Included in the measures are anti-bullying initiatives that focus on gay students while ignoring more common targets of bullying such as weight and appearance.
4. Carter case in B.C. could permit euthanasia: In April, the British Columbia Supreme Court accepted the case from the family of Kay Carter, who died in a Swiss assisted-suicide facility in 2010, seeking to throw out Canadian prohibitions on euthanasia and assisted-suicide as unconstitutional. In August, Gloria Taylor, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease and is seeking the right to have a doctor assist her suicide, was added to the case. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, an intervenor in the case, warns Carter could have “tremendous implications for Canadians,” because if the applicants are successful, euthanasia and assisted-suicide would be deemed medical treatment, it could lead to elder abuse, and the state-run health care system could be empowered to steer patients to suicide.
3. Largest ever National March for Life: More than 18,000 pro-lifers took part in the annual National March for Life in Ottawa, garnering widespread media attention. Most provinces also held successful provincial marches for life to raise awareness about the issue regionally.
2. CLC launches Defund Abortion campaign: Campaign Life Coalition Youth organized a Defund Abortion Rally at Queen’s Park in October that attracted 2000 Ontario taxpayers fed up with paying for the medically unnecessary procedure. A petition campaign was launched at the same time and by year’s end nearly 10,000 Ontario taxpayers had signed petitions demanding the province stop wasting a minimum of $30 million on abortion each year. CLC plans to roll out similar campaigns in other provinces in 2012.
1. Linda Gibbons and Bill Whatcott get their days in court: Linda Gibbons, who has spent more than half of the past 15 years behind bars for her pro-life witness, and Bill Whatcott, who has run afoul of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal for his anti-homosexuality/pro-traditional family activism, both had their cases heard before the Supreme Court of Canada in 2011. In December, Gibbons’ lawyers challenged the constitutionality of the 1994 temporary injunction against pro-life witnessing near abortion facilities (“the Bubble Zone”) based on whether the criminal justice system is the proper place to enforce the private injunction. In October, Whattcott’s lawyers challenged the SHRT’s right to determine what hate is and defended the right to freedom of speech and expression. Decisions will be rendered in 2012.
