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Wednesday March 1, 2000
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PrintPRO-LIFE YOUTH BEGINS MARCH ACROSS CANADA FOR LIFE
TODAY'S HEADLINES
NORTH SYDNEY, Nova Scotia, Mar 1 (LSN.ca) - Today, Andrew Fournier, a nineteen year old from Arnprior, Ontario and member of Campaign Life Coalition Youth (CLCY) began his trek across Canada for pro-life. Departing from North Sydney, Nova Scotia Andrew walked 30km on the first day of his journey.
"I want to give the following message to pro-life youth: Youth should be the driving force behind the pro-life movement. If you are an unmarried young person, you have more time and energy to give than otherwise."
Andrew will be raising money for Campaign Life Coalition Youth (CLCY) and Canadian Food For Children (CFFC), a non-profit organization that sends shipments of food, clothing and books to starving children around the world. LifeSite will be providing regular coverage of Andrew's walk.
To make a private or corporate pledge sponsorship to Andrew's Pilgrimage for Life, or to accompany Andrew on his route when he is in your area, please call 416-368-8479 or 1-800-730-5358 or e-mail us at His route and updates will be posted on the internet at http://www.lifesite.net
For more information see the Interim at:
http://www.lifesite.net/interim/2000/feb/09Ontarioyouth.html
Back to TopONTARIO HEALTH MINISTRY CONCEALS RISING ABORTION STATS
TORONTO, Mar 1 (LSN.ca) - The number of reported abortions in the province of Ontario jumped 5% in 1998 over 1997, and is up a huge 20% from 1995. After refusing to release the statistics for a year and a half until forced to do so by the privacy commissioner, the Ontario Ministry of Health finally admitted there were 44,002 babies killed by abortion in 1998 in the province. That compares to 41,886 in 1997; 41,674 in 1996; 38,048 in 1995; and 42,246 in 1994. It can thus be estimated that about 1.5% of women aged 15-49 in Ontario had an abortion in 1998.
Although applied for in 1998, the stats were only released this week to the National Post. The paper applied to the Information and Privacy Commission to get them after repeatedly being denied the data by the provincial health department.
Almost as disturbing as the number of babies killed is the false stereotypes and mythology used by Elizabeth Witmer's department to refuse releasing the information. Arguing against the release of the figures, the Ministry claimed that "what abortion-related statistics now too often contribute to is uncontrolled passion, be it expressed by a mob or by a lone individual who stalks and is willing to kill."
"Few issues," said the Ministry, "have the staying power of the debate on abortion ... Regardless of what the statistics show, one group or the other may use them to advance its own ends, with the resulting violence that occurs. ... In what has been termed 'the increasingly deadly abortion debate,' both sides, pro-life and pro-choice, continue to polarize society with noisy and intimidating public protests, sometimes requiring the forceful separation by police of opposite sides in abortion demonstrations," the ministry wrote. (National Post, 29 Feb 2000, A10)
With the possible exception of the mysterious lone gunman whose identity or motives are not known, the history of abortion opposition in Canada has been one of a legitimate mass human rights movement characterized by extraordinarily responsible behaviour. For over 30 years pro-life protests have rarely been noisy and usually consisted of silent vigils or hymn singing, prayer and holding signs. The days of the always peaceful but dramatic Operation Rescues are long past. Violence, shouting, chanting, pushing and general mob activity have been the characteristic of abortion activists who often have radical, anti-social connections and extreme left-wing, anti-democratic views.
Pro-life leaders are dumbfounded by the Ontario government's irrational policy and wonder who is really in charge on this issue in that government and what it is that the government actually fears.
(with files from Pro-Life E-News)
JUSTICE MINISTER DISCUSSES HOMOSEXUAL BILL IN COMMITTEE
OTTAWA, Mar 1 (LSN.ca) - Justice Minister Anne McLellan was questioned yesterday by members of the Commons justice committee regarding the government's omnibus same-sex benefits bill C-23. McLellan rebuffed any suggestions from Reform, PC and even Liberal committee members to include a traditional definition of marriage in the bill or to allow the bill to address all dependent couples rather than only practicing homosexuals.
McLellan clearly indicated that the bill was all about benefits for practicing homosexuals and said that any kind of benefit for dependent couples other than practicing homosexuals could be considered, but in separate legislation. When pressed on the issue of putting a definition of traditional marriage into the bill she answered facetiously, "If Parliament chose, it could include definitions of anything, they could define 'dog' or 'cat' if they wanted to in this legislation."
In related news, Focus on the Family Canada (FOFC) held a press conference in Ottawa today to announce the launch of a national media campaign in opposition to Bill C-23. FOFC public policy director Jim Sclater and public policy researcher Derek Rogusky are scheduled to appear before the Justice committee on Thursday, March 2, at 9:00 a.m.
See the CP report in the Ottawa Citizen at:
http://www.southam.com/ottawacitizen/newsnow/cpfs/national/000229/n022982.html
STUDY: SMART KIDS WAIT ON ALL SEXUAL ACTIVITY
CHAPEL HILL, NC, Mar 1 (LSN.ca) - An American study published in the March issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health has found that more intelligent teens were less likely to engage in sexual activity including kissing. The study, Smart Teens Don't Have Sex (or Kiss Much Either), surveyed 12,000 American teens in Grades 7 to 12, found that more intelligent teens wait longer before intercourse, necking, hold hands, or touching on top of or below clothes.
Researchers were surprised at the findings since the more intelligent young people decided to forego not only intercourse but also its antecedents. "The idea that kissing is the 'slippery slope' to sex seems like the kind of long-term thinking that most adolescents don't engage in," the study's author, Dr. Carolyn Halpern, said.
The study controlled for the effects of attractiveness, class, race and gender. For every one point increase in intelligence scores, the chance of necking (defined as protracted kissing) dropped 2.5% for boys and 1.6% for girls.
For more see the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news.asp?f=000229/219626
SPAIN IN THE GRIP OF THE CULTURE OF DEATH
Abortion Rate Rises - 54,000 Babies Killed in 1998
MADRID, Mar 1 (LSN.ca) - Statistics released by Spain's Ministry of Health last month indicated that about 54,000 babies were killed by abortion in 1998. The numbers rose 8 per cent from 1997 but the rise is expected to be minimal compared with the 2000 figures since Spanish public hospitals and some private clinics began selling the deadly chemical abortion drug RU-486 (Mifegyne) in early February.
The moral decline in Spain began in the sixties when the birth rate of the once strongly Catholic country began to plummet. LifeSite reported in January that Spain now has the lowest birth rate in the world (1.07) as indicated by data released at the end of last year. The 1999 fecundity survey by the National Statistics Institute (INE) confirmed that, in the past 28 years, Spain's birth rate has halved. The INE report reveals that in university-educated women aged 25-34, the birth rate is only 0.33.
While the Catholic bishop's conference has issued a strong pro-life statement in preparation for the upcoming March 12 elections, neither of the main two parties includes any pro-life initiative. Spain allows abortion in cases of risk to the life, physical health, and mental health of the mother and also in cases of supposed fetal deformity.
With files from The Lancet (Feb 10 and 19) and HLI Hispanic Division
LIFESITE NEWSBYTES
The National Post reports today that Ontario Tory Frank Klees, the government's chief whip and deputy house leader is considering a run for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance and has received the approval of Premier Mike Harris for his venture. He will announce his decision March 25. http://www.nationalpost.com/news.asp?f=000301/220465&s2=national&s3=politics
Ujjal Dosanjh, the new BC Premier has appointed radical pro-abortion activist MPP Joy MacPhail, the former finance minister who quit in an apparent dispute with the former Premier, to cabinet as deputy premier and labour minister. http://www.nationalpost.com/news.asp?f=000301/220478&s2=national&s3=coasttocoast
A young Saskatoon mother of two has had her hands and feet amputated as a result of complications from a sterilization procedure during which the doctor accidentally sliced through her bowel. http://www.nationalpost.com/news.asp?f=000301/220463&s2=national&s3=coasttocoast
Catholic World News has produced a detailed analysis of the Indian government's population control policy that has angered population control advocates. http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=47315
Abortion supporters are raising strong objections to the airing of a paid-for Christian program broadcast throughout the Asia-Pacific region by Australian television since it referred to those who commit abortion as murderers. http://www.smh.com.au/news/0002/29/national/national6.html
US NEWS ROUNDUP
Alexander Sanger resigned as Planned Parenthood-NYC President Feb 25 to engage in international abortion advocacy but will remain a senior advisor to PPNYC. http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0229-144.html
The State of Nebraska filed legal briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday defending the constitutionality of its ban on partial-birth abortion. (Pro-Life E-News) http://www.omaha.com/Omaha/OWH/StoryViewer/1,3153,308506,00.html
A Harvard University study released Monday finds that African-Americans who receive private educational vouchers perform better in elementary school than their public school counterparts. http://www.conservativenews.org/ViewEducation.asp?Page=\Education\archive\EDU200...
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