An estimated 19,500 Canadians from across the nation converged on Parliament Hill on May 10, 2012 to take a pro-life stance on the issue of abortion. It was the largest National March for Life in Canadian history. The atmosphere was electric and the crowd incredibly diverse. Young, old, males, females, Anglophones and Francophones from sea to sea came to tell the Canadian Parliament that it is not acceptable that Canada has no legal restrictions on abortion.
There were several pro-life speeches, prayers and testimonies of post-abortive women. The resounding message was one of compassion that “abortion hurts everyone” and it was time Parliament did something to help. The march heralded this message on Parliament Hill and through the streets of downtown Ottawa. It was clear that these 19,500 people came to demand that Parliament follows through with the need to discuss when and how children in the womb ought to be protected under law.
The reality is that the abortion debate was not over in 1988 when the Supreme Court struck down Canada’s abortion laws. In fact, it was only the beginning. The ruling clearly called upon Parliament to debate and decide when and how to protect children in the womb. “[A woman’s] reasons for having an abortion would, however, be the proper subject of inquiry at the later stages of her pregnancy when the state’s compelling interest in the protection of the fetus would justify it in prescribing conditions. The precise point in the development of the fetus at which the state’s interest in its protection becomes “compelling” I leave to the informed judgment of the legislature which is in a position to receive guidance on the subject from all the relevant disciplines.”
The 1988 Supreme Court ruling did not close the abortion debate. Instead it obligated Parliament to open it and reach a decision. To date, Parliament has yet to fulfill its obligations to the 1988 Supreme Court ruling.
On February 6, 2012, Member of Parliament Stephen Woodworth filed Motion 312 that urges Parliament to form a committee that would revisit Canada’s legal definition on when a child becomes a human being under law. You may be surprised to learn that Canada’s current definition is 400 years old. It does not recognize a child as a human being until he or she has completely exited his or her mother. Motion 312 proposes that a committee examines evidence from modern science to advise if a child becomes a human before birth. The questions Motion 312 poses are the very questions the 1988 Supreme Court ruling obliges Parliament to debate and answer.
The 2012 National March for Life was proof that many Canadians value the committee proposed by Motion 312. In fact, 19,500 Canadians want the abortion debate so badly that they converged on Parliament Hill. Looking out on the mass of people, pro-life signs in hand, covering the lawns of the hill, the message was clear. The pro-life movement in Canada is massive, engaged and passionate about having protections for children in the womb. In fact, the National March for Life is one of the largest gatherings on Parliament Hill, second only to the Canada Day celebrations. It clearly says something when the only other issue or event that draws more people on one day to hills of Parliament is Canada’s birthday. Canadians care about children in the womb.
There were several pro-life speeches, prayers and testimonies of post-abortive women. The resounding message was one of compassion that “abortion hurts everyone” and it was time Parliament did something to help. The march heralded this message on Parliament Hill and through the streets of downtown Ottawa. It was clear that these 19,500 people came to demand that Parliament follows through with the need to discuss when and how children in the womb ought to be protected under law.
The reality is that the abortion debate was not over in 1988 when the Supreme Court struck down Canada’s abortion laws. In fact, it was only the beginning. The ruling clearly called upon Parliament to debate and decide when and how to protect children in the womb. “[A woman’s] reasons for having an abortion would, however, be the proper subject of inquiry at the later stages of her pregnancy when the state’s compelling interest in the protection of the fetus would justify it in prescribing conditions. The precise point in the development of the fetus at which the state’s interest in its protection becomes “compelling” I leave to the informed judgment of the legislature which is in a position to receive guidance on the subject from all the relevant disciplines.”
The 1988 Supreme Court ruling did not close the abortion debate. Instead it obligated Parliament to open it and reach a decision. To date, Parliament has yet to fulfill its obligations to the 1988 Supreme Court ruling.
On February 6, 2012, Member of Parliament Stephen Woodworth filed Motion 312 that urges Parliament to form a committee that would revisit Canada’s legal definition on when a child becomes a human being under law. You may be surprised to learn that Canada’s current definition is 400 years old. It does not recognize a child as a human being until he or she has completely exited his or her mother. Motion 312 proposes that a committee examines evidence from modern science to advise if a child becomes a human before birth. The questions Motion 312 poses are the very questions the 1988 Supreme Court ruling obliges Parliament to debate and answer.
The 2012 National March for Life was proof that many Canadians value the committee proposed by Motion 312. In fact, 19,500 Canadians want the abortion debate so badly that they converged on Parliament Hill. Looking out on the mass of people, pro-life signs in hand, covering the lawns of the hill, the message was clear. The pro-life movement in Canada is massive, engaged and passionate about having protections for children in the womb. In fact, the National March for Life is one of the largest gatherings on Parliament Hill, second only to the Canada Day celebrations. It clearly says something when the only other issue or event that draws more people on one day to hills of Parliament is Canada’s birthday. Canadians care about children in the womb.
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