News & Analysis

Five byelections means we have work to do

Published:  July 5, 2013

Due to the sudden resignation of several Ontario Liberal MPPs amidst a growing gas plant scandal, five provincial byelections will take place on August 1st.  The affected electoral districts include:

We have barely 3 weeks left to identify pro-life candidates in each of these provincial ridings and then help get them elected.

An opportunity not to be missed!

With at least 4 vacant seats currently occupied by politicians who support the legal dismemberment of children in the womb, these byelections represent an opportunity to bring in the proverbial broom. If candidates who respect the sanctity and dignity of human life can be identified, the prolife movement stands to make appreciable electoral gains.

This opportunity is most pronounced in Ontario’s legislature which is currently a disaster. Only 6 out of 107 Ontario MPPs are considered to be pro-life, or leaning in that direction. 

Many people do not realize how heavily provincial politics bear upon life and family issues. For example, taxpayer funding of abortion is a matter that falls within provincial jurisdiction. With the stroke of a pen, Ontario’s legislature could defund abortion from the provincial health insurance plan, saving taxpayers a minimum of $50 million per year. 

Reporting of abortion statistics is also a provincial matter, something that the McGuinty government has hidden from voters with a secret bill enacted into law last year. Other incremental measures also fall within provincial authority, such as an informed consent law to make women aware of the health risks of abortion. 

The safeguarding (or reinstatement) of parental rights in regards to abortion and public education is also a prerogative of provincial lawmakers. A case in point -- concerned parents watched in dismay last summer as the McGuinty-Wynne government imposed homosexual GSA clubs on Ontario’s Catholic and Public schools. Even now, the acting Liberal Premier, Kathleen Wynne, has promised to return a radical sex ed curriculum that was pushed back in 2010 by an outcry from parents and religious leaders. 

Find out who is the pro-life candidate in your riding

Please contact the candidates in your riding.  Ask them to fill out CLC’s election questionnaire, here, so you can take it into consideration when you cast your vote. Then return the survey to CLC at [email protected] or by fax to 416-204-1027. 

You can check the list of declared candidates in each riding, at this page here. 

If the candidates are unwilling to complete the questionnaire, just ask them in your own words what are their views on abortion. Then record their response as precisely as possible and send it to CLC.

There will likely be all-candidate debates in the 5 provincial ridings between now and August 1st.  These are excellent venues to learn their views. Please make your best efforts to attend so you can ask the candidates a question about abortion. 

Meet the candidates

There will likely be all-candidate debates in the 5 provincial ridings between now and August 1st.  CLC will post the dates and locations of debates which come to our attention at this special page. These are excellent venues to learn their views. Please make best efforts to attend so you can ask the candidates a question about abortion.

Volunteer your talents to a campaign

It’s one thing to check off a box next to your preferred candidate’s name. To win however, a candidate who is pro-life also needs a strong team of volunteers. Often, the campaign with the most organized team of volunteers is the one who is successful.   A pro-life candidate will need committed volunteers who can help deliver and put up lawn signs, make phone calls, drive homebound supporters to polling stations on election day, stuff envelopes, knock on doors, etc.  Once pro-life candidates are identified, prayerfully consider volunteering your talents in some capacity to their campaign.

Thank you for your participation in these important byelections!