TORONTO (LifeSiteNews) — The Toronto Catholic school board invited a pro-abortion and pro-LGBT politician as the keynote speaker for a women’s event.
On January 16, the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) Women’s Affinity Group will host “Women in Education: A Dialogue with Mitzie Hunter on empowering leadership,” featuring anti-family and anti-life former Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter.
“The evening promises to be filled with connection, celebration, and a keynote address by the esteemed former Minister of Education, Mitzie Hunter,” an internal email from TCDSB chief communications officer Shazia Vlahos sent to LifeSiteNews stated.
“With a distinguished 30-year career spanning various sectors, including private, public, not-for-profit, Mitzie has held several leadership roles and has some inspiring stories to tell,” she added.
The email failed to mention Hunter’s anti-Catholic views in support of abortion and the LGBT agenda, instead promoting her as a female leader.
According to voting records compiled by Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), Hunter is pro-abortion, anti-free speech, and anti-parental rights.
“In a betrayal of our constitutional right to free speech, freedom of assembly, and the right to protest, Hunter voted in favour a draconian Liberal bill to establish “No Free Speech Zones” near all Ontario abortion facilities,” CLC wrote.
As a result, Hunter was ‘red-lighted’, having received a 0% score on support of pro-family and pro-life issues.
“The TCDSB’s choice of an anti-life, anti-family and anti-Christian speaker is seriously disturbing,” CLC’s Jack Fonseca told LifeSiteNews. “As a Liberal MPP, Mitzie Hunter voted in support of the abortion industry, helping to pass Bill 163 which criminalized peaceful pro-life witness outside abortion mills.”
“This vote alone has certainly been responsible for the murder of an increased number of preborn children, since pro-lifers have not been allowed to provide sidewalk counselling to abortion-minded women entering these killing centres since 2017,” he continued. “Sidewalk counselling used to result in a considerable number of turnarounds, with women choosing not to go through with the termination of their babies.”
Hunter’s pro-abortion and pro-LGBT views directly oppose the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly teaches that “since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.”
Similarly, in opposition to the LGBT agenda, the catechism states that God created humans “male and female” and that “Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.”
“Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out,” the Catechism continues.
The Catechism further declares that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and “under no circumstances can they be approved.”
It is unclear why Hunter was chosen as keynote speaker at the nominally Catholic women’s event. LifeSiteNews reached out to the TCDSB to inquire why she was chosen despite her anti-Catholic views but did not receive a response by time of publication.
“I don’t know what the Director of Education and the Board of Trustees are thinking,” Fonseca declared. “How could they honour and give a platform to a woman with such a demonstrable history of hatred towards Catholic moral teaching and the rights of Christians?”
“Does the TCDSB now endorse abortion, euthanasia and the persecution of Catholic families? Is this the message they want to send to the entire Catholic community?” he questioned.
“This choice of speakers is so ridiculous,” Fonseca added. “What should we expect next from the TCDSB? Maybe, a posthumous award for Henry Morgentaler is in the works?”
“The Director of Education needs to be fired for allowing this scandal,” he declared. “The Board of Trustees needs to step in and rescind the invitation to this unsuitable and decidedly anti-Catholic person.”
“Catholic ratepayers need to contact their trustee ASAP and demand that Mitize Hunter’s invitation be rescinded,” Fonseca advised. “She is no model for women. Her support of the abortion industry in particular has resulted in the death of many baby girls in the womb, not to mention the emotional, physical and spiritual harm to their mothers that often accompanies abortion.
To respectfully voice concern regarding the event, please contact:
Joseph Martino
Ward 1: Etobicoke
Phone: 416-512-3401
Email: [email protected]
Markus de Domenico (Vice-Chair)
Ward 2: Etobicoke
Phone: 416-512-3402
Email: [email protected]
Ida Li Preti
Ward 3: North York
Phone: 416-512-3403
Email: [email protected]
Teresa Lubinski
Ward 4: Parkdale-High Park, Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Phone: 416-512-3404
Email: [email protected]
Maria Rizzo
Ward 5: North York
Phone: 416-512-3405
Email: [email protected]
Frank D’Amico, CD
Ward 6: York
Phone: 416-512-3406
Email: [email protected]
Michael Del Grande
Ward 7: Scarborough-Agincourt
Phone: 416-512-3407
Email: [email protected]
Garry Tanuan
Ward 8: Scarborough
Phone: 416-512-3408
Email: [email protected]
Kevin Morrison
Ward 9: Toronto
Phone: 416-512-3409
Email: [email protected]
Daniel Di Giorgio
Ward 10: Toronto
Phone: 416-512-3410
Email: [email protected]
Angela Kennedy
Ward 11: East York, Toronto
Phone: 416-512-3411
Email: [email protected]
Nancy Crawford (Chair)
Ward 12: Scarborough
Phone: 416-512-3412
Email: [email protected]