TORONTO, January 24, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) — The president of Ontario’s largest Catholic teachers’ union was at the Women’s March in Toronto tweeting out support for the pro-abortion demonstration.
Ann Hawkins, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), was joined by OECTA 1st vice president Liz Stuart at the massive January 21 pro-abortion march.
Hawkins retweeted numerous enthusiastic endorsements of the march, including this explicitly pro-abortion tweet:
Amazing demonstration of support from the crowds. “Her body. Her choice. My body. My choice.” #WhyWeMarch #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/ttNqkj1EEe
— Sharleen Stewart (@SharleenStewart) January 21, 2017
Organizers estimated that 50,000 people joined the anti-Trump march from Queens Park to the American Embassy in Toronto’s City Hall. It was one of hundreds of marches across the United States and Canada, as well as in other countries, that coincided with the Washington pro-abortion event.
Organizers confirmed that the Toronto Women’s March endorsed the principles of the Washington March, which is unequivocally pro-abortion, as well as pro-LGBTQ rights.
Denise Hammond told LifeSiteNews that anyone with a pro-life message would not be welcome at the march, as that would be “inconsistent” with the its principles, which are based on “no tolerance for hate.”
“Catholic teachers, of all people, shouldn’t be marching in solidarity with those who believe in killing children,” points out Marie-Claire Bissonnette, Campaign Life Coalition youth coordinator.
“This ‘Women’s March’ is anti-women,” Bissonnette told LifeSiteNews, adding, “I’m ashamed to have been taught by teachers part of any association that marches with those who support killing children in the womb.”
Hawkins, Stuart and Halton Catholic teacher and OECTA representative Sean Roberts are shown in a photo tweeted out by Catholic elementary school teacher Natasha Delpippo.
When they go low, we go high! #WomensMarchTO #EqualityforAll pic.twitter.com/2U0Qi9DSzY
— Natasha Delpippo (@Natasha1981) January 21, 2017
Hawkins tweeted from the march: “Please don’t let this be a 1 day event! Stay strong and resilient,” above a retweet by “YA Wednesday”:
“If ever you feel despair over the next 4 yrs, remember today when the world stood together for women's rights and human rights.”
Only 2 years till midterms. Hope voters make sweeping changes. Please don't let this be a 1 day event! Stay strong and resilient https://t.co/OuosLpTWpp
— Ann Hawkins (@OECTAprez) January 21, 2017
Be loud be proud Wishing the sisterhood success.Canadian women showing they will never be silent or complicit https://t.co/mvllFmYRfJ
— Ann Hawkins (@OECTAprez) January 20, 2017
She tweeted January 20 above a UNIFOR tweet announcing: “Plane full of Women's March supporters headed to Washington turns on pink cabin lights”
AWESOME! https://t.co/RP7UnCMfUu
— Ann Hawkins (@OECTAprez) January 21, 2017
Hawkins tweeted above a retweet noting the “LGBTQ page and climate change page taken down from the White House website.
SHAMEFUL https://t.co/t0KzoK9Pqu
— Ann Hawkins (@OECTAprez) January 21, 2017
OECTA past president James Ryan defended these as “retweets” in a twitter to-and-fro with “OttawaDaddy.”
OttawaDaddy responded:
@JamesJJRyan @archtoronto @neilmaccarthy grasping at straws. Show me ONE retweet where Ann disagrees with comment, ONE! U can't . pic.twitter.com/Nd4RkItgan
— OttawaDaddy (@OttawaDaddy) January 24, 2017
Ryan, who as OECTA president marched in the Toronto Pride Parade in 2014, told OttawaDaddy he should have been at the Ottawa Women’s March “supporting our sisters.”
But organizers of the Ottawa March told OttawaDaddy those oppose “reproductive rights” were “banned,” OttawaDaddy tweeted in reply:
@jamesjjryan @archtoronto @neilmaccarthy we already know why the March was important to her. Read her tweets! Abortion was important to her
— OttawaDaddy (@OttawaDaddy) January 23, 2017
OECTA Simcoe also promoted the March for Women in Toronto on Twitter: Join us on Saturday, January 21 2017 at Queen's Park for the Women's March! More details below!
Join us on Saturday, January 21 2017 at Queen's Park for the Women's March! More details below! pic.twitter.com/bVtG9K8V9z
— OECTA Simcoe Muskoka (@OECTASimcoe) January 16, 2017
York OECTA retweeted OECTA’s presence at the March:
Arrived at Nathan Phillips pic.twitter.com/0L8RcCVFUF
— Ann Hawkins (@OECTAprez) January 21, 2017
Cheryl Fullerton, OECTA senior staffer and liaison with the government liaison, also tweeted support of the Women’s March.
Many in ���� are marching in solidarity with the #WomensMarch on Washington Jan 21 Find a rally near you https://t.co/RnBuGf5fs5 #WhyWeMarch pic.twitter.com/z3djBXCmJC
— Cheryl Fullerton (@CherylFull) January 18, 2017
Fullerton tweeted her admiration for abortion extremist Hillary Clinton: Putting country before self….@HillaryClinton remains stoic and dignified – a true leader
Putting country before self….@HillaryClinton remains stoic and dignified – a true leader #StillWithHer #Hillary #AddHerName https://t.co/iDvM4Qoglf
— Cheryl Fullerton (@CherylFull) January 20, 2017
Delpippo and York Catholic teacher Filomena Ferraro tweeted from the march:
Proud to be one of the 60,000 in Toronto today. #WomensMarchTO #Peaceful #Toronto #HumanRights #EqualityforAll pic.twitter.com/kti0tbp5jz
— Natasha Delpippo (@Natasha1981) January 22, 2017
Meanwhile, OECTA’s members “overwhelmingly defeated” two pro-life resolutions at the May 2016 Annual General Meeting, according to a Toronto Secondary Unit report.
The resolutions ask that OECTA adopt a bylaw encouraging members to initiate “Life Teams” in Catholic schools and that teachers recognize the annual 40 Days for Life and Ottawa March for Life as ways to makes students more aware of the “continuing threats to the right to life.”
One self-proclaimed Catholic explicitly declaring for abortion was welcomed at the March.
Rosemary Ganley came from Peterborough to carry her “Catholics for Free Choice” banner.
Co-editor of the now defunct ultra-liberal Catholic New Times, Ganley claimed that under Canon law, Catholics are excommunicated for procuring an abortion or performing one, “but not if you advocate for choice.”
“Look at Justin Trudeau,” Ganley observed.
Jesuit Fr. Jack Costello also marched Saturday. Costello is the former interim president and currently an instructor at Regis College, the Jesuit school of theology affiliated with the University of Toronto.