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National Pro-Life Leader Urges Strong Message to All Party Leaders by Voting For The Candidate Only

Powerful message to Liberal strategists would be to elect pro-life Liberal Candidates

TORONTO, June 17, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Jim Hughes, The President of Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), Canada’s national pro-life political organization, is emphasizing that the leaders’ TV debates this week underscored the critical need for voters to cast their ballots for individual candidates rather than the leader or party.

Hughes noted that on the all-important life and family issues, the debate revealed “there is not a whole heap of difference between the main party leaders”. “That is”, the pro-life leader told LifeSiteNews.com, “they made it plain Tuesday that they all support what they euphemistically called a woman’s ‘right to choose’ to have her unborn child killed”.

However, says Hughes, “there are many wonderful incumbent MPs and new candidates in the main parties who are men and women of integrity and who are committed to acting to defend life and family. It would send a strong message to all the leaders if all of these candidates were elected”.

* Pro-Life Candidates are More Principled and Trustworthy

Hughes told LifeSiteNews.com , “You want to end scandal, corruption and manipulation in our political system? Then start off by electing or re-electing men and women who first of all understand that building a political culture of trust cannot even begin unless the basic right to life is guaranteed,”.

He continued, “These are people you can trust much more that the average politician. They have consciences and high personal standards. There is a depth to them, and you know, in many cases they don’t like politics any more than you or I. They are running because they feel someone has to stand up and make some big personal sacrifices to try to save this nation”.

* CLC Evaluations Indicate Many Pro-Life Candidates

The CLC national leader, who is also vice-president of International Right to Life, said the CLC election evaluations have so far indicated there are 71 pro-life Conservative Party candidates and 14 pro-life Liberal candidates. These figures, he emphasized, are changing every day as more questionnaires and grassroots reports are turned in to the organization.

“I'm appalled by the lack of basic knowledge of the pro-life, pro-family issues. Many more of these candidates could have taken a pro-life position had we been able to sit them down and talk to them. Over the years some of our strongest MPs would not have been classified as pro-life had it not been for local pro-life people who educated them – and gradually gave them something like Pro-life 101”, said Hughes.

Of the Conservatives, 39 are evaluated as solidly pro-life, with no exceptions, 8 are pro-life with exceptions, and 24 are pro-life with an exception for life of the mother. In the latter case, Hughes, explained, many intend their exception to be for treatment for the mother which would inadvertently take the life of the child. Those situations, he said, are not abortions. As well, the CLC leader said many other Conservative candidates strongly lean in the pro-life, pro-family direction.

Of the Liberals, 11 are rated as solidly pro-life, 2 pro-life with exceptions and 1 notes an exception for the life of the mother. As well, CLC candidate evaluations indicate there are many other Liberals who lean in the pro-life, pro-family direction, despite intense pressure from the party.

* Martin and Lib Bigwhigs Would be Shocked by Election of Pro-Life Liberals

Hughes said “the strongest message that could be sent to Paul Martin and the Liberal campaign team would be to re-elect all these brave pro-life Liberal MPs while defeating those who have slavishly towed the anti-life, anti-family party line”. “Perhaps”, he mused, “those good folks could become the bedrock for re-building that party into an ethical party after its defeat in the upcoming election”. As well, you can be sure they would work together with CPC MPs on efforts to strengthen protection for life and family.

* Vote for Pro-Life Liberal Over Pro-Abortion Conservative

Hughes emphasized that, in ridings where a pro-abortion Conservative is running against one of the Liberal pro-life candidates, the election of the pro-life Liberal is essential. Among other important results, it would encourage the CPC to more consistently choose social conservatives for its candidates.

* CHP is the only Pro-Life Party

As well, Hughes noted that the Christian Heritage Party, its leader and all its candidates are presumably pro-life, although they haven’t all responded to the CLC questionnaire. “A vote for the CHP” he said, “especially in ridings where there is no other pro-life candidate sends a very powerful message to the big three parties”.

See the complete CLC candidate evaluations (updated right up to election day) and Election 2004 page at
http://campaignlifecoalition.com/elections/federal/2004/

See LifeSiteNews.com’s analysis of the leaders debate
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jun/040617a.html

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