2,000 protesters tell MPPs to end taxpayer funding of abortion
TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2011 – Holding placards with slogans such as “Kill babies with tax dollars?” and “Not from my wallet!”, around 2,000 demonstrators gathered at Queen’s Park on Saturday Oct. 22, calling on Ontario legislators to end the practice of subsidizing elective abortions. The first ever Defund Abortion Rally was organized by the Youth division of Campaign Life Coalition.
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) pays for 30,000 to 51,000 abortions each year, costing the health care system about $1000 for each elective procedure. 23-year old rally organizer, Alissa Golob, opened the rally by belting out a question: “Did you know that $30 - $50 million dollars per year would allow our health care system to hire an additional 200 doctors, or 400 nurses or purchase 20 MRI machines or provide urgent therapy to an additional 500 autistic children each year?”
“I’m here to represent the next generation of taxpayers... I don’t want my taxes to go towards funding the killing of innocent unborn children” said Lia Mills, guest speaker and Toronto area high school student, expressing the frustration felt by all the young people present. “Mr. McGuinty, Members of the Legislature – defund abortion now!” added Mills to enthusiastic applause.
Other guest speakers included university students and Dr. Sze Wan Sit, a staff family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital in downtown Toronto. “If abortion is done electively, it makes sense that the patient will have to pay for it, especially when there are so many other medically necessary procedures that are not funded by OHIP” said Dr. Sit, reinforcing the message.
At the rally, Campaign Life Coalition Youth kicked off a province-wide petition campaign to end taxpayer funding of abortion. The petition will be presented to MPPs in November.
About Campaign Life Coalition Youth
Campaign Life Coalition Youth is a division of Campaign Life Coalition, the national, non-profit organization involved in political action and advocacy for legal and cultural change in Canada with respect to protecting human life and the family. CLC Youth’s mission is to educate youth and to create opportunities for young people to engage in this modern-day civil rights movement. For more information visit www.campaignlifecoalition.com.
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Media Contacts:
Jack Fonseca, Campaign Life Coalition 416-204-9749
Alissa Golob, Campaign Life Coalition Youth 416-204-9749