Pro-life renewal in B.C.

Pro-life activity in British Columbia is undergoing a renewal.  Two of the country’s most successful Life Chains were held in the province in May.  The Family Coalition Party has been established as a provincial party ready to fight the provincial election expected this fall.  On Saturday, June 15, Campaign Life Coalition held its most successful strategy meeting when over eighty activists from the lower mainland met in Vancouver at the CLC-BC annual meeting. 

Taking a lead role in the proceedings was John Hof, of Langley, a Life Chain organizer.  With a provincial election just weeks away, Hof believes that it is crucial that CLC be organized across the province as quickly as possible.  Those attending heard how the Social Credit Party has been trying to distance itself from pro-life people since Premier Vander Zalm stepped down.  The party establishment has gone as far as hiring a full-time organizer in one riding to ensure that a pro-life member did not win the party’s nomination. 

Father Al de Valk, of The Interim, and Paul Dodds, Ontario co-ordinator for CLC Ontario, were invited to participate in discussions.  Fr. De Valk explained the need to maintain a non-compromise approach – a message warmly received by those attending.  He explained that the situation today in Canada would be far worse if Parliament had passed Bill C-43, giving the legal system’s full approval to abortion on demand. 

Dr. Dodds was able to tell the group of the lessons learned by pro-life activists in Ontario in two elections supporting the Family Coalition Party.  He encouraged participants to support the FCP as an effective avenue for pro-life energy at a time when B.C.’s major parties have turned their back – and sometimes their arrows – on the pro-life movement.  The consensus in the room was in favour of giving support to the Family Coalition Party.

The up-coming election in B.C. will be unique.  In recent years, many Christian and pro-life voters came to regard the Social Credit Party as an ally.  With the departure of Mr. Vander Zalm that has now changed.  In at least one riding pro-life forces have been able to prevail and win the party’s nomination for a pro-life candidate.  In many ridings, however, the only question that remains is whether Christian voters will simply sit out the election or whether they will launch their own candidates under the FCP banner.