News

OTTAWA, Sept. 25, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – As a decisive vote on Stephen Woodworth’s pro-life motion approaches on Wednesday, pro-life groups are pushing hard to convince MPs to unite behind it, despite the opposition of every party leader in Parliament.

On Sept. 19th, a coalition of pro-life and Christian groups issued a joint declaration of support for Woodworth’s motion.

The groups affirm that despite coming from different “theological, philosophical and professional traditions” they are united in opposing the definition of human life established in section 223 of Canada’s Criminal Code, which stipulates that a child only becomes human once he or she has fully proceeded from the womb.

The Ontario educational association Alliance for Life also sent a letter to all MPs last week.

Campaign Life Coalition, the national pro-life political organization and Canada’s largest pro-life organization, has been repeatedly encouraging its members for months to contact their MPs to urge them to support the motion. It’s September Newsletter included a top priority push for grassroots action across the country on this issue.

The Sept. 19th declaration was signed by numerous Christian churches and organizations as well as pro-life groups. Some of the signers included the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, Canadian Physicians for Life, Catholic Organization for Life and Family, Christian Heritage Party of Canada, Christian Legal Fellowship, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Institute of Marriage and Family Canada, Knights of Columbus, LifeCanada, National Campus Life Network, Priests for Life, and REAL Women of Canada.

“A significant number of theologians, philosophers, jurists, doctors and scientists consider human life to begin at fertilization,” it reads. “The predominant position among mothers is recognition that the child developing within their bodies is human. Fetology recognizes the pre-born child as a patient along with the mother.”

The current definition of human life “does not reflect the medical and scientific knowledge acquired over the last century.” “Given the high value human life is given in our society, as reflected in our social policies and Criminal Code, it is essential that the Parliament of Canada provide clarity in the law on this point which impacts parental choice, biomedical research, medical practice and matters being brought before the courts of the nation,” the groups wrote.

“Accordingly, we appeal to the members of Parliament of Canada to vote in favour of Motion No. 312.”