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TORONTO, February 3, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) — Canada’s leading pro-life organization is issuing a rallying call to pro-lifers across the country to join them May 11 in the capital where they will tell fellow citizens and the nation’s leaders: “Life: We stand on guard for thee.”
“The 2017 theme for the March for Life which we announce today reminds Canadians that respecting and valuing human life at all its stages is, and has always been, part of our Canadian identity,” said Jim Hughes, President of Campaign Life Coalition, the sponsor of the event.
The 20th anniversary of Canada’s largest annual pro-life March coincides with the nation’s 150th anniversary.
The national political pro-life and pro-family lobbying group launched the new website www.marchforlife.ca on Thursday to promote the event, which includes the release of a new promo video.
“The National March for Life brings together tens of thousands of Canadians who stand on guard for the most innocent of our society, even if our current Prime Minister and many in Parliament are ignoring the rights of preborn children,” said Hughes.
This year’s event will be buoyed by the attendance of two pro-life candidates, both backed by Campaign Life, who are vying to lead the country’s Conservative party. One of these could become a future pro-life prime minister.
Saskatchewan MP Brad Trost and former Ontario MP Pierre Lemieux will both be speaking at the event, which falls about two weeks before the Conservative leadership election on May 27.
“I've been proud to speak at the March for Life for the past 12 years,” commented Trost. “It is always encouraging to see so many people who believe in the sanctity of life. See you there in May,” he added.
Lemieux echoed this.
“I am very excited to be a part of the 2017 National March for Life,” he said. “This great event has been an annual highlight for my family and me. On this 20th anniversary of the March, I am honoured to be joining the tens of thousands of pro-life Canadians on Parliament Hill who stand on guard for Life!”
Johanne Brownrigg, Campaign Life’s director of public affairs, said the annual March for Life, which is attended by more than 20,000 Canadians annually, will give the leadership candidates an opportunity to prove themselves to the pro-life voting block.
“These leadership hopefuls can bring together Canadians from all walks of life who want to unite behind true conservative values, and especially draw in those who wish to see a major party leader actually stand on guard for life,” she said.
The March for Life in the nation’s capital marks the legalization of abortion on May 14, 1969.
That’s when Liberal Prime Minister and Catholic Pierre Elliot Trudeau, along with Catholic justice minister John Turner, oversaw the passage of the omnibus bill that opened the doors to abortion on demand.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues his father’s legacy of pushing the culture of death.
Trudeau made his commitment to abortion clear when as Liberal leader he excluded anyone who intended to vote pro-life from running as a candidate in his party.
“He has promised to massively expand abortion access throughout the country and abroad,” said Hughes.
Already within his first year as Prime Minister abortion has been expanded to PEI, formerly known as a “life sanctuary.”
Trudeau’s Liberal government also legalized euthanasia in June 2016, following the Supreme Court decision of February 2015 that struck down the old law as a violation of the Charter.
Campaign Life Coalition is urging its supporters to buy a Conservative Party of Canada membership before the March 28 deadline to support either Trost or Lemieux as leader. (For more information, go here.)
It is also urging all pro-lifers to make a commitment to join the National March for Life in Ottawa on May 11. The March for Life website includes information on how Canadians can join the event.