I’M not a political animal! I have lived in three different countries for considerable periods of my life (27, 30 and 16 years – that should up to 73) and I have never belonged to a political party. But I have always voted since I became of age. I have voted for people not for parties. If I had good reason to feel sure that a candidate was a person who believed in Christian principles, and had to courage to stand by them in the political arena, he or she qualified for consideration. Needless to say, they had to posses other qualities.

Joining the “fence sitters”

This would automatically disqualify a person who says, “I am personally against abortion but I do not wish to impose my moral principles on others.” As if murdering babies was a private matter!

A few months ago, I was told that a new party, totally “pro-life,” was about to be formed. I cringed. Politics has been defined as the “art of compromise,’ would this mean the possibility of compromise on vital issues? We could, for instance, have candidate who was totally opposed to abortion but was soft on pornography, drug abuse, etc. So, for quite a time I politely avoided meeting (or at least entering into conversation with) those who were working hard to form the Party. When asked my opinion and became evasive and said things like, “Well, I’m not a politician and wouldn’t like to offer an opinion.” Bu t then I began to realize that I was joining the ranks of “fence sitters.” And “fence sitters” I abhor. So I had to do more listening and asking questions. As a result, I have changed my opinion.

The Family Coalition Party is a provincial party. I know there are provincial members of parliament who are opposed to abortion. But, when they enter the House, most of them become strangely silent. They begin to “run with the pack.” They weighed the consequences of taking a lone stand and murdering of babies becomes just another issue  on par with the seal hunt!

There seem to be so many telling arguments for not standing up and being counted: you might not be elected next time and then you can’t do all the other good things you could do by being in parliament, and so on. So, the babies get swept under the carpet in favour of party unity, etc. In England they would refer to it as coming under the “Old Pals’ Act.” The result of all this that pro-life people are faced with a selection of candidates who, either from personal conviction or the art of compromise are, in practice, on the pro-abortion side when it comes to being counted. That, I think, is one reason why we need a pro-life Party. At least, people can cast their vote in conscience for a candidate who, they know, will not succumb to political pressure when it comes to the vital question of the lives of human beings – born and unborn.

Of course there are other issues besides abortion. But- and this is a big “but” – a candidate who is not pro-life cannot be sincerely in favour of other human rights. That may seem an outlandish statement, but I believe it is true. The right to life is the most fundamental of all human rights. Take it away and all our other rights begin to totter.

It is as if a builder promised to begin you a house with lovely walls, beautiful windows and an elegant roof but with a foundation built on sand. Because of the present anti-life, anti-child, anti-family philosophy, our social house is built on sand. The rock of a sound family life, based on the glory of motherhood, the love of children and the commitment of parenthood has been gradually chipped away. The results are blared at us every day in the newspapers and the newscasts.

A significant number

A new party of any ilk is certainly not going to chance society over night. But neither was Rome built in a day. It is a beginning and one founded on solid Christian principles. I have read its stated policies and they appear to be sound. I also know most of the people who will be candidates and of this I know most of the people who will be candidates and of this I am sure: they will never compromise the lives of unborn babies in favour of “more popular causes.” For these reasons and other, I believe they deserve our support and our votes.

I have to admit that I was surprised to hear that they have already received the number of signatures required in Ontario for the forming of a new party – ten thousand. That is by no means an insignificant number for starting any project!