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OTTAWA, Ontario, May 7, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — Despite COVID-19 restrictions still in place, organizers of Canada’s 2021 March for Life say that given “the urgency” of addressing the human rights “injustices of abortion and euthanasia,” they will forge ahead with an in-person rally and march in Ottawa on May 13.

“Despite COVID-19 and related restrictions, we do still have a constitutional right to peacefully demonstrate, as delineated in our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” stated Canada’s National March for Life in a statement. “Given both the urgency and importance of addressing the human rights injustices of abortion and euthanasia, we are choosing to exercise this right in as safe and prudential a manner as possible.”

Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) is the organizer of the event, which last year was held virtually, due to COVID-19 lockdowns.

A year later, COVID-19 restrictions are still in place in Ontario, banning large gatherings outdoors.

CLC says that along with the in-person rally and march, there is a “full program of virtual events” to be held between May 9 and 16.

The in-person rally will start at 12:30 p.m. EST on May 13, on the steps of Canada’s Parliament Hill in Ottawa, with the march planned to start at 1:15 p.m.

The march will return to Parliament Hill at around 2 p.m. for “Silent No More Awareness Testimonies.”

Debbie Duval, National Capital Organizer for CLC, said in a May 5 statement that at its core, the National March for Life “is a protest against the greatest human rights injustice of our age” — abortion and euthanasia — and because of this, “we have a duty to hold our legislators to account.”

The March for Life has advised all of those who choose to come to the in-person rally that “every attendee must assess what level of risk they are personally willing to assume” by coming to the event.

“Please be advised of both the legal and health risks associated with attending the National March for Life in Ottawa. We will do our best to mitigate those risks,” noted the event organizers in a statement. “If you do decide to attend the rally and March for Life, please act respectfully and responsibly, and follow all relevant health measures, outlined here.”

The March for Life has asked people not to attend if they are feeling ill, suspects they might have COVID-19, or have recently arrived from out of country.

The organizers say they have made this request for the “sake of fellow attendees (some of whom may be elderly), and the sake of the organizers, namely Campaign Life Coalition, and our ability to hold future marches.”

There will be an online Rose Dinner on May 13, emceed by David Bereit, the founder of 40 Days for Life and a pro-life speaker, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the event can be purchased by clicking HERE.

In addition to the in-person rally and march and other virtual events, there will also be an online youth conference on May 14, which is free of charge.

For a full schedule of events including online speakers for the entire MFL, you can click HERE.