Notes from the Campaign Life Meeting Ottawa April 24th

Notes from the Campaign Life Meeting Ottawa April 24th

Jim Hughes made a report saying that there’s the feeling in Canada that the South Dakota ban on abortion was good for Canada, even if it probably won’t be upheld by the SCOTUS. It helped focus people on the abortion debate, attention which is sorely needed.

He said that Liberal MPs have been confiding to him that if Harper doesn’t make any big gaffes, and he manages 3 of 5 priorities, the next election will bring a Conservative Majority. The MP’s have been told to be in election mode. The next election is expected in the spring of 2007.

CPC MP’s have been told not to bring forward pro-life legislation, and not to do anything unless Liberal MP’s bring forth pro-life legislation. The implication is that the burden is on pro-life Liberal MP’s to do something about right-to-life issues.

International Development Josee Verner is fighting to fund Planned Parenthood at the UN level.

SSM—we don’t have the votes right now to win. There’s a potentially damaging motion that can make its way through the House. The Motion would ask the Parliament to reaffirm SSM. It’s bad because once MP’s publicly for SSM, it’s hard to get them to backtrack and vote for TDM (traditional definition of marriage). If the SSM vote comes this spring, we will lose. If it comes in the Fall, we might have a shot. A number of TDM MP’s are losing momentum and “don’t want to revisit the issue” so people need to keep the pressure up.

Jim Hughes mentioned that a number of people accuse Campaign Life of either being Liberal, or CPC, or they don’t support the CHP. The policy of Campaign Life is to support Pro-life MP’s regardless of political party.


Action Life is having a fundraiser in Ottawa, this Saturday, the Hike for Life. Action Life is the educational arm of the pro-life movement in Ottawa.

Aidan Reid gave a report. He talked about the SSM motion mentioned above. It’s being brought forth by an MP named da Silva from the riding of Davenport. He’s a gay activist.

Another motion that is being brought forward is one that would ask the House to renew the federal/provincial agreements on daycare. The agreements are renewed yearly, and Harper intends to let these run out, then introduce the $1200/child program as a budgetary measure, so that the opposition would have to vote down the budget if it wanted to defeat it, thereby sending the House into election, which no one wants.

The Anti-Euthanasia picket will be held on Wednesday April 26th, 11-1 pm, on Parliament Hill. The target audience is the Parliament Hill staffers. Meet at the Centennial Flame if you’re interested.

March for Life. The March for Life will be held at noon on Parliament Hill on Thursday May 11th. First there will be speeches, and then the march will begin at 1:30. There is a great need for volunteers to do the following:

• Create media kits
• Help with Masses, readings, collections
• The information table on Parliament Hill during the March
• Need help setting up the Rose Banquet on the evening of the March.

If you can help, please email at clcottawa@rogers.com or phone 613-729-0379

CLC is having a hard time getting Ottawa-area youth to show up at the March. The School Board is behind Campaign Life, but the principals are afraid to advertise for fear of upsetting girls who’ve already had abortions.

No more registrations are being accepted for the Youth Conference on the Friday. Attendance is capped at 450. St. Joseph’s Church cannot hold any more people. Maybe next year they will get a bigger venue!