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Friday January 11, 2002

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QUEBEC BANS DESTRUCTIVE RESEARCH ON HUMAN EMBRYOS

"The Best Pro-Life News I've Heard In Thirteen Years" Says Pro-Life Leader

MONTREAL, January 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - The province of Quebec has announced a ban on all destructive research involving human embryos. David Cliche, Quebec's Minister of State for Science and Technology, unveiled new guidelines on ethical research yesterday in which the creation and use of stem cells extracted from human embryos (resulting in the death of the embryos) is "forbidden." Moreover, the ban is subject to all research including that which is privately funded. This puts the province far ahead of many other national and international governments in resisting powerful corporate and ideological pressures to allow the socially dangerous and immoral "research".

Cliche dismissed a possible conflict with upcoming federal legislation on the matter which proposes to allow embryonic stem cell research. ''There is currently a debate about the possibility of allowing research on human stem cells taken from embryos that were left over from in vitro fertilization. In Quebec, this is forbidden. It is not practiced. We'll see down the road, but as of now, it is forbidden."

The guidelines also forbid all human cloning, including cloning supposedly for research purposes only. The creation of animal-human hybrids or chimeras is also forbidden. The government promoted research into adult stem cells. Many breakthroughs in the area of adult stem cells have come from Quebec.

Quebec researchers and ethicists agreed with the decision. Margaret Somerville, an ethicist at the McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law, said she approves of the Quebec position. "I happen to agree with it," she said, calling it a "respect-for-all-stages-of-life position - from the earliest embryo to when we are dead." Francois Pothier, a researcher from the University of Laval told Le Devoir, "Personally, I have too much respect for the human embryo to dismantle it for research ends." Francois Auger, a director of research at the University of Laval refuses outright to do research on human embryos because "to create a life for the purpose of curing a life shows disrespect for life."

Campaign Life Coalition Quebec (Campagne Quebec Vie) President Gilles Grondin commented on the news to LifeSite saying, "It is the best pro-life news I've heard in thirteen years." Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition, said, "Finally a province has the courage to oppose the destruction of human life. Embryonic stem cell research requires the killing of the embryo to obtain the stem cells. Adult stem cell research is the route to follow. It is viable and does not involve the death of a human being." "It is the sincere hope of Campaign Life Coalition that other provinces will follow Quebec's lead and refuse to allow embryonic stem cell research", said Hughes in today's CLC press release to Canadian media.

See the coverage in the Gazette and Le Devoir (French):
http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/story.asp?id=...
http://www.ledevoir.com/public/client-css/news-webview.jsp?n...

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ALLIANCE CANDIDATE GRANT HILL RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS ON LIFE AND FAMILY

OTTAWA, January 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Canadian Alliance MP Grant Hill, who is vying for the leadership of the Party was interviewed by the National Post and responded to questions on abortion and homosexuality. The pro-life MP seems to have handled himself well under the media spotlight.

The following Questions and Answers are from the interview:

Q: As prime minister, would you permit or propose a national referendum on abortion?

A: I would not. As a pro-life guy myself, a guy who dealt with abortion as a physician all my life, 25 years, I'm really compassionate toward the woman who has to make that tough decision. Because terminating a pregnancy is not a casual decision for anybody. It's a gut-wrenching decision. I've dealt with the after-effects, the depression, the awful feelings that come.

Q: While we're on touchy medical subjects, do you doubt the Liberals' ability to run an entire national campaign on your statements about the health effects of homosexual sex?

A: Well, you see, let's go to the reason I made those comments. I fear that because of the way they've attacked me and called me a homophobe, that a doctor warning a patient about unhealthy activities -- now that sexual orientation is in the Human Rights Act -- will be called a homophobe, rather than being called a loving physician, trying to do the best for his patient. That's the reason I made those comments and, in fact, the coverage it's received tells me that I was right. And I ask every Canadian, do you want your doctor to be blunted in his warnings or her warnings about lifestyle issues?

Call me a homophobe because I say doing what you're doing, having anonymous sex with a bunch of partners at a bath house, stoned, is bad for your health -- you turn around and say 'you're a homophobe.' That's what including a behaviour in the Human Rights Act has allowed.

Anti-gay? Come on. I've treated gays all my life. Why did I treat them? For the same reason I treated everyone else, because I love humanity. It's not anti-gay, that's just a straight medical fact.

For the complete interview see the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?f=/stories/20020...

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ALBERTA JUSTICE MINISTER PROPOSES ALLOWING HOMOSEXUALS MARRIAGE-TYPE BENEFITS

EDMONTON, January 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - A review of family law in Alberta released yesterday by provincial Justice Minister Dave Hancock recommends giving homosexual couples the same legal benefits as married couples. "Alberta Justice proposes that Alberta's legislation concerning personal relationships be amended to comply with the charter," the report says. "This would include persons in common-law or same-sex relationships."

Promised public consultations on the controversial measure will still take place however, Hancock has already ruled out blocking the measures completely by invoking the notwithstanding clause against a mandate to accommodate homosexual couples from the Supreme Court. Last November the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench ordered the province to rewrite its laws to allow people in same-sex relationships to inherit property when a partner dies. Hancock said the province will give Albertans until March 1 to react to the homosexual benefits proposal.

See the CP coverage in the Toronto Star at:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thes...

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BUSH SIGNS FOREIGN AID MEASURE, ENCOURAGED TO ZERO-FUND UNFPA

WASHINGTON, January 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Yesterday President George W. Bush signed a massive $15.4 billion foreign aid bill which contains a provision to allow the President to have the final word on funding for the notorious abortion-promoting United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). While the bill suggests funding for UNFPA at $34 million - an increase of $9 million over last year - the amount is a ceiling, leaving Bush the opportunity to zero-fund the organization.

The Population Research Institute (PRI), which recently presented to Congress the results of an investigation into UNFPA's complicity with China's coercive one-child policy, said of the legislation, "President Bush has been handed the perfect opportunity to oppose forced abortion and forced sterilization in China." PRI President Steven W. Mosher said, "He should defund the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) because of its support of these and other human rights abuses in China." In September, PRI obtained first-hand evidence from victims of forced abortion and forced sterilization in a UNFPA county program in China. In an attempt to secure funding, UNFPA denied that such abuses take place. But videotaped evidence of abuses in a UNFPA county program in China has been delivered by PRI to the White House.

New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith commented on the passage of the measure saying, "It needs to be fully understood that the ball is in the president's court now, our hope is that the president will look at the sordid complicity of the UNFPA with the Chinese population-control police."

With the annual U.S. March for Life only days away (Jan. 22) pro-lifers are hoping and praying President Bush will announce, perhaps even at the March, a denial of funds for the UNFPA due to the overwhelming evidence of its complicity with abortion. The Mexico City Policy, which is retained in the foreign aid bill, prohibits funding of groups involved in the international provision and promotion of abortion.

ACTION ITEM - PRI CALLS ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO ZERO-FUND UNFPA
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2001/dec/0112217 .html

See the AP coverage of Bush's signing of the foreign aid bill:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27949-2002Jan...

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TEENAGE GIRLS IN FRANCE GIVEN ABORTIFACIENTS WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION OR PARENTAL CONSENT

PARIS, January 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - All girls in France under the age of 18 are eligible to receive free abortifacient morning-after pills in pharmacies without a prescription or parental authorization. AP reports that in a decree published Thursday in the Official Journal, the government said pharmacists must speak briefly with the young women before giving them the pill to make sure they are using it correctly and in the right time frame

See the AP coverage at:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20020110/hl/france_morning_a...

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PRI GLOBAL FAMILY CONFERENCE TO FEATURE HLI FOUNDER FR. PAUL MARX

WASHINGTON, DC, January 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - The Global Family Life Conference, sponsored by the Population Research Institute, will take place this spring. Conference Host, Steve Mosher, president of Population Research Institute (PRI), and the internationally prominent Fr. Paul Marx will open the April 3 - April 7 conference to be held in Santa Clara California.

More than 40 U.S. pro-life leaders will be participating in the four-day conference at the Santa Clara Marriott. Speakers include: Educator and Foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother M. Assumpta Long; homeschooling pioneer Laura Berquist; sidewalk apostle Msgr. Philip Reilly; Ignatius Press Founder Fr. Joseph Fessio; law professor Charles Rice; UN watchdog Austin Ruse; Humanae Vitae authority Dr. Janet Smith; Washington insiders Michael Schwartz and Connie Marshner, and Catholic philosopher Dr. Alice von Hildebrand.

There will be a special day for medical professionals, seminars on lobbying and elections, and a two-day youth conference for teens. The first day of the youth conference will focus on spiritual growth, with a retreat by Fr. Richard Voigt, ending with an evening presentation by RADIX, a Catholic musical and dramatic ministry. The second day offers expert speakers on chastity, special pro-life initiatives, the UN, music by RADIX, and more.

See http://www.pop.org/conferences/

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LIFESITE NEWSBYTES

MICHAEL COREN ON THE ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP RACE
http://www.lifesite.net:7070/ramgen/010902dayandthealliance....

CRITICS SLAM PROPOSED UN INTERNATIONAL TAXATION AUTHORITY
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,42529,00.html

AN EXCELLENT SUMMARY OF THE CLONING DEBATE BY WESLEY J. SMITH
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/00...

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