Pressure Mounts

Statements in the House of Commons urging protection for the unborn child made by Ross Belsher (Fraser Valley East), Rob Nicholson (Niagara Falls), John Oostrom (Willowdale), Gus Mitges (Grey Simcoe), Brian White (Dauphin-Swan River), Felix Holtmann (Selkirk-Interlake), Bill Gottselig (Moose Jaw), Gordon Taylor (Bow River), Roland de Corneille (Eglinton-Lawrence) and Gerry St. Germain (Mission-Port Moody).

Petitions have been presented in the House of Commons from the ridings of Fraser Valley East, Surrey-White Rock-North Delta, Kent and Moncton.

Justice Minister Ray Hnatyshyn is reported to be receiving 2,000 letters per day on the abortion issue.

Surveys of MPs’ offices reveal that mail on this issue is running 500-1,000 to 1 in favour of full legal protection for the unborn child. However, known pro-life MPs are receiving the least mail and need letters from constituents supporting their position in order to fight effectively for a law, which protects all unborn children.

G. Emmett Cardinal Carter, Archbishop of Toronto issued a strongly worded statement to the Prime Minister and all Members of Parliament in February; the Cardinal states, “…With respect to…legislation which must be introduced as soon as possible: we will not be satisfied with anything less than legislation which respects human life at all stages…Nor will we accept a compromise based on any length or stage of pregnancy…There can be no question of our accepting formulae or escape hatches in this matter…We are pledged to deploy all our influence and all our strength to obtain this result…We see developing such a tidal wave of indignation to the present intolerable situation that none can have any illusion about the seriousness of our intent. It is time for citizens of good conscience to stand up and be counted.” The Cardinal’s statement was endorsed by Alliance for Life, Campaign Life Coalition, the Catholic Women’s League, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Ontario Knights of Columbus, the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and the Right to Life Association of Toronto.

Norma Scarborough of CARAL, has written to all MPs to “help” put mail from “the anti-abortion, anti-choice lobby” in context; “The undeniable emotional fervor and political activism of the individual anti-choice supporter gives their lobbying a noise level disproportionate to their actual numbers,” say Ms. Scarborough, adding that the “vast majority of Canadians who strong disagree with anti-choice extremists, are your mainstream constituents, and should not be ignored;” She also says “…the anti-abortion crusaders simply do not represent as many voters as they would like politicians to think they do,” and reminds MPs of their “obligation to support what the Supreme Court has confirmed is a woman’s right to security of the person in accessing abortion services.”

The United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces, an umbrella group comprising 560 churches and more than 62,000 church members has called on the federal government to “carry out its responsibility to protect the life of the unborn child throughout pregnancy.”

Canadian Physicians for Life have demanded that legislation be passed in each province guaranteeing that health workers will not be required to assist with abortions and that provinces cease to provide coverage for abortion through medical health care plans as there are no medical requirements for abortion.

The Toronto Catholic Doctors Guild has issued a statement to all MPs urging full legal protection for the unborn child.

Plans are underway to rally again in front of MPs’ constituency offices, with April 9 the date in most ridings. Other rallies, vigils or events planned or which have already taken place include: Montreal (prayer meeting followed by vigils at Morgentaler and Macchabee abortion clinics); Antigonish, and Halifax rallies April 10; across New Brunswick rallies in Grand Manan, Florenceville, Hartland, Fredericton, Chatham, St. John, and Newcastle with a provincial rally set for Fredericton on April 10; Kelowna (350 people at public meeting).

Campaign Life Coalition Toronto placed full-page ads in 15 small newspapers in Metro Toronto area; Montreal Pro-Life placed 7 ads in Montreal community papers; in Ottawa, Action Life and Physicians for Life of Ottawa and District continue newspaper ads; the Basilica parish in Charlottetown has published a full-page ad containing 1,200 names.

Bishop Colin Campbell of Antigonish has issued a pastoral letter noting that co-operation in abortion results in excommunication and that our tax-dollars pay the salaries of MPs who promote abortion or do nothing to prevent it.