(LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian pro-life group’s voter guide now endorses 132 pro-life candidates in 115 ridings who are running in the 2021 federal election to be held Monday.
“We’re excited to see so many candidates who have solid pro-life credentials,” said Jack Fonseca, Campaign Life Coalition’s (CLC) Director of Political Operations, to LifeSiteNews. “We encourage all those who support the sanctity of all human life to vote with their values and keep their eyes fixed on the goal — God willing! — of an abortion-free Canada.”
Overall, there are 56 Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), 40 People’s Party of Canada (PPC), 23 Christian Heritage Party, 10 Independents, and 3 Libertarian Party of Canada candidates who have pro-life ratings.
“It’s an exciting time to be alive and pro-life in our country. No matter what the outcome of the Federal election, Campaign Life Coalition will be here, fighting on behalf of the preborn for their right to life,” Fonseca told LifeSiteNews.
Thanks to what has been called a “censorship law” enacted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, CLC is prevented from sharing publicly its pro-life voter guide during the election campaign period.
Despite this, private donors, supporters, or stakeholders of CLC “can still view” and access the voter guide if they first visit voteprolife.ca and set up an account as an “official subscriber.”
“You’ll then have to fill in an application form, attest that you are indeed a CLC donor or supporter, that you agree with our values, and pay a $2 subscription fee which entitles you to access this content privately for a period of two years,” says CLC.
In 2018, the Liberal government under Trudeau had overhauled the Election Act, and amended it again in June 2019.
The Liberals added new rules which mandate that third parties, which include non-profit groups, must register with Elections Canada if more than $500 is spent on “partisan activity expenses,” “partisan advertising expenses,” and “election survey expenses.”
Once registered, a third party must open a separate bank account for financial contributions relating to election activities. The third party must also submit the names and addresses of individuals and groups who give more than $200.
The Liberals’ 2019 amendments also prohibited an earlier exemption which allowed associations such as CLC to send out political emails to its members without having to register as a third party.
As a result, CLC chose not to register as a third-party due to “onerous reporting and accounting requirements.”
Instead, CLC created a closed online group that can only be accessed by members and donors.
Earlier this week, pro-abortion Liberal Party candidate Karina Gould leaked private information to the public about pro-life candidates before this coming Monday’s federal election.
In 2020, both CLC and the pro-life lobby group RightNow were investigated by the office of the commissioner of Canada Elections after complaints were launched alleging that the groups were not following Canada’s then-new third-party advertising laws during the 2019 federal election.
CLC President Jeff Gunnarson told LifeSiteNews at the time that the problem is not the political advocacy groups, but the new law itself, calling it “anti-democratic.”
Trudeau, who is also Liberal Party Leader, has repeatedly stated his pro-abortion stance.
Conservative Party of Canada leader Erin O’Toole has said he is “pro-choice.”
Independent pro-life and pro-family candidate MP Derek Sloan is running in the Alberta riding of Banff-Airdrie.
The only 100 percent pro-life party in Canada is the Christian Heritage Party.
The People’s Party of Canada bills itself as the “freedom” party and allows both pro-life and “pro-choice” candidates.