TORONTO, March 4, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Upper Canada College, a prestigious boy’s college in Toronto, hosted debates on the abortion and euthanasia issues last month. The abortion debate saw seasoned pro-abortion activist Joyce Arthur, the founder and long-time leader of the pro-choice action network, the foremost abortion advocacy group in BC, debating Campaign Life Coalition Youth Director Gillian Long. Long was informed that Arthur would be with her on the panel and Long would be able to respond, but that Arthur has a “no-debate policy” which she abides by.
Long spoke first and concluded her presentation by showing the students the Center for Bioethical Reform’s “Choice” photos which depict graphically the results of early abortions. Long told the students to keep in mind that when abortion proponents speak of “choice” and a “fertilized egg” what they were really talking about was the dismembered bodies depicted in the photos. During Arthur’s presentation students jaws dropped as she claimed that unborn children are not alive until the mother decides so. The question period revealed the student’s discomfort with Arthur’s presentation. One student asked Arthur “you keep talking about choice, but doesn’t your choice to have an abortion undermine my choice to be against abortion if my tax dollars are paying for it?” Arthur’s response, suggesting that tax dollars are spent on many things that people don’t agree with, did not satisfy the students. Several other students asked Arthur pointed questions indicating, if not outright pro-life views, at least an annoyance with the lack of scientific foundation backing pro-abortion arguments. After the presentation Arthur was seen leaving the auditorium unattended while students were seen milling around Long asking questions. John Hof of Campaign Life Coalition BC informed LifeSite that on her website Arthur has penned an article entitled, “Why we don’t debate the anti-choice.” Hof commented, “Now we know why” In the coming days, LifeSite will be reporting on the euthanasia debate which took place at the College as well.