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DUNNVILLE, Ontario, December 7, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Arising from the ashes of previous political censorship, the Niagara chapter of the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) has resurrected its now-famous pro-life memorial in the city of Dunnville, Ontario.

“We hope and pray that the display and the media coverage will soften hearts about the tragic reality of abortion,” said an ARPA spokesperson in a press release yesterday.

The memorial, which was put up on Saturday, is constructed of hay bales stacked in the shape of bleachers. One hundred white crosses erected on the bales represent the one hundred thousand babies that are aborted each year in Canada.

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“With the crosses, typically you think of someone whose life has ended prematurely. We believe a life is taken every time a child is aborted, so we symbolize it with a cross,” said Ralph Vis, Vice-chair of ARPA Niagara to The Chronicle.

“The hope is that passers-by will be awakened to how often abortion occurs in Canada,” Vis told LifeSiteNews.com.  “Perhaps this realization will prompt the now enlightened to learn more about what abortion is.”

Last October, ARPA members in Smithville were told to dismantle the memorial by township officials who said it violated zoning and signage regulations. This happened despite the group receiving verbal approval from the township prior to the memorial’s construction.

During the controversy at that time, Mayor Douglas Joyner said that the move to order the dismantling of the memorial was initiated by complaints from local inhabitants.

“Was the by-law order meant to regulate the medium or meant to censor the message? We cannot help but conclude by the run-around given us by the township that it was the latter,” said ARPA Niagara in a recent press release.

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental freedom that Canadian citizens are privileged to have and which our governments are tasked to protect,” the group said, adding that the display was “simply a means of engaging in a dialogue that needs to happen in this country.”

Vis told LifeSiteNews that they are not taking any chances this time and have received written approval for the memorial’s construction by Haldimand County as well as the Ministry of Transportation.

The pro-life memorial will be displayed for three weeks at the Dunnville Canadian Reformed Church and then moved to a new location.

ARPA has plans for pro-life memorials not only in Southern Ontario, but also in Alberta, and British Columbia. Part of the plans include a new website that would direct passersby to learn more about the tragedy of abortion and the hope of the Gospel.