We were told at the CLC National Strategy meeting that we were likely to win the Parliamentary vote on Bill C-384, Francine Lalonde’s private member’s bill that would throw open the doors to legal and limitless euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. The first hour of debate on October 2 saw six MPs speak out against it and only two speak out in favour. A vote in the House of Commons was originally scheduled for November 16, but Lalonde traded her spot and it became scheduled for November 19. She traded her date again, moving up the vote to December 1. We view this as a sign that she doesn’t think she has the votes to pass C-384.

Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition said  "I think she's trying to create support for her bill." Please keep up the pressure on MPs and urge them to vote against C-384. The larger the margin of defeat for the bill, the less likely the issue will be brought back any time soon. An Environics poll shows that while a majority of the public supports euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide (most poorly understand the issues), they would prefer to see proper end-of-life care, including better palliative care, implemented to help vulnerable people deal with their pain, rather than a focus on legalizing the killing of terminally ill and disabled patients. Help ensure this dangerous piece of legislation is not passed by maintaining pressure on your Members of parliament.

Action Item: Contact your MPs and urge them to vote against C-384. If you need help contacting your MP,
please call us at (416) 204-9749 or 1-800-730-5358.

In 2006, the Canadian Federal Government allocated $18 million over four years to International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).  CIDA is overseen by International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda (C, Durham). In 2008, IPPF grossed $119 million, including 80% in government grants from around the world.

It will soon be time for Ottawa to renew its “commitment” to CIDA and therefore to IPPF. Since the time is ripe for action, our goal is to put the pressure on the Federal Government in the effort to block funding for the IPFF. There have been several “low-key” petitions circulating since the March for Life in May, but now as the end-of-year funding decisions draw near, it is important that we “up” the pressure and call for a formal end to the funding. Taxpayer dollars must be relegated to life-affirming causes and not towards the abortion and contraception-pushing IPPF, which also directly commits moreabortions than any other agency in the world.. Also, the organization "does not support physicians' freedom to practice according to their conscience and/or religious beliefs regarding abortion referral."

Action Item: Write to your MPs urging them to press Prime Minister Harper and International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda to end government funding of Planned Parenthood. We encourage people to raise two issues: abortion is wrong and there is far better use of international aid money than funding abortion and the rest of Planned Parenthood’s objectionable agenda.

Building Bridges, the Canadian National Pro-Life Conference, took place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, over the final weekend of October. It was hosted by the Saskatchewan Pro-Life Association, and sponsored by Campaign Life Coalition and Life Canada. It was a tremendous success. About 200 people attended.

A rousing address was given by Rev. Dr. James Lamb, Executive Director of Lutherans for Life, United States, who reflecting on the Scriptures said that the path to Calvary did not begin in a stable, but in the body of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He stressed that as Christian pro-lifers we do not only cherish unborn children because they are precious, but ultimately because they are precious to God. He urged pastors to speak up on spiritual issues, which includes abortion. He said "we are not striving for victory in the pro-life movement, we are struggling IN victory - the victory is assured."

Dr. Larry Reynolds gave a very moving presentation from the perspective of medical doctors. Dr. Reynolds, a physician who has delivered babies for over 30 years and has done family medicine research, has been punished for his pro-life values, causing to have to move from hospital to hospital. Last year, Reynolds was removed from his posts as Head of the Department of Family Medicine and Professor at the University of Manitoba and Head of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's Family Medicine Program. Through tears he concluded his presentation saying how difficult it will be to face the souls of unborn children and mothers suffering from abortion and tell them he didn’t “do everything I could have. I didn't do as much as I should have. But I was not always silent."

Sam Singson, CLC’s former international affairs officer and now with C-Fam in New York, recalled her experiences lobbying on behalf of life and family at the United Nations and the pressure that pro-abortion groups and countries put on those who want to protect the sanctity of human life and traditional values. Fr. Louis Di Rocco followed up with the history of pro-life lobbying at the United Nations, and outlined his own involvement as a Campaign Life Coalition lobbyist before he entered the seminary.

The banquet speaker, Ezra Levant recalled his 900-hour $100, 000 battle against the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal and the fight for freedom of speech in Canada. Levant provided insight on the inner workings of Canada’s Human Rights Commissions who, after 32 years of their guilty-until-proven-innocent proceedings have boasted of a 100% prosecution rate with no supervision or overhead regulation.

John-Henry Westen, Editor of LifeSiteNews, received a standing ovation for his powerful and very revealing talk regarding the difficult issues that LifeSiteNews had to report on this year.

These conferences are great not only for the informative and inspirational talks, but for the opportunities for fellowship. Many of us get to see pro-life activists we only get to see occasionally. There is also the chance to meet new friends. Professionals call this networking, but it is good old-fashioned socializing, and that’s important, too. I think most of us returned home with our batteries recharged, knowing that there are thousands of decent folks across the country battling to protect human life.

Long-time pro-life Progressive Conservative MP Dr. Gus Mitges passed away Nov. 1 at the age of 91 in Owen Sound. Mitges was a pro-life stalwart, authoring several motions and amendments to protect the unborn child in the womb and even voting against Pierre Trudeau’s Charter of Rights in 1981 because it didn’t include protection of the unborn.

Mitges, who was born in Greece and raised in Guelph, represented Grey-Simcoe and later Grey-Bruce for more than three decades. During his time in Parliament he stood out as an uncompromising defender of the sanctity of human life. CLC National President Jim Hughes remembers Mitges as a “great guy” whom he met regularly, including once by chance – or providence – in Florida during vacation. "He was trying to rest a bit, and I walked in and he said … 'Don't tell me you followed me here!'" Mitges called abortion what it was: murder.

He was the first MP profiled by The Interim in 1987 as part of a series on pro-life MPs, a fitting honour for a member of Parliament and doctor who said opposition to abortion was a matter not of religious doctrine but human rights. In 1986, the Mitges motion sought to amend the Charter to include unborn persons, which would have afforded them total protection under the law. It was defeated 62-89 with most MPs cowardly keeping away from the vote. In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Canada’s permissive abortion law as too restrictive, refusing to acknowledge any semblance of unborn rights.

Following the decision, a legal vacuum existed and the Mulroney government proposed a new abortion-on-demand law. Mitges proposed an amendment to establish legal protections from conception (fertilization) onwards. The government brought forth its bill and five motions, with the Mitges motion being the only pro-life option. All the amendments were defeated, but the Mitgesamendmentlost by a close vote of 105-118.

Before retiring, Mitges spoke to the national pro-life conference in 1992 and received a standing ovation in recognition of his courageous and principled fight. He is survived by his wife Yolanda and four children and two step-children. Gus Mitges was one politician who will no doubt have met his maker with a clear conscience about his political responsibilities to defend the lives of God’s most precious little ones.

As we noted in our September CLC National News, Stanley Haidasz, a Liberal pro-life MP and Senator passed away at the age of 86 in August. On October 29, in a senate procedure called Tributes, eight senators remembered their predecessor and colleague. Liberals Senators  David Smith, Peter Stollery, Art Eggleton,  Sharon Carstairs, Jerry Grafstein, Terry Mercer, and Conservative Con Di Nino all noted Haidasz supported multiculturalism and several mentioned his role in the creation of medicare in Canada. But only independent Senator Anne Cools acknowledged Haidasz’s pro-life convictions: She said: “The important thing … to remember about Senator Haidasz was the fierce integrity that he brought to his work.” Noting he was “a doctor by trade, a scientist by training, and a physician by profession” he thought “his first duty” was “to save and protect life.” Senator Cools continued: “Obviously he was no fan of the pro-choice movement nor the pro-euthanasia movement.” We congratulated Senator Cools for her forthright remembrance of a great senator. A great man.

Elsie Wayne is reported to be “doing a little better” at the time of this writing, though the 77-year old former pro-life MP has undergone a “battery of tests” after having survived two strokes one after the other in early November. The strokes have left Elsie confined to her bed and only capable of a few words and a smile for the time being, according to her son, Steve Wayne. “"We're praying, let's put it that way. She's got a lot of people pulling for her … she's a tough old girl," he told the media on November 11th.

Most seasoned pro-lifers will remember Elsie Wayne who served as the first female mayor of Saint John, New Brunswick in 1984, and then as an undefeated Conservative Member of Parliament from 1993 through 2004.
As an MP, there were few more determined people than Elsie Wayne in her desire to enact pro-life legislation. Her defense of marriage and the family was infectious.

LifeSiteNews hosted its second annual Key Supporters dinner meeting in Toronto on Nov. 2. The event was sold out. Fr. Thomas Euteneuer and several members of the LifeSiteNews team gave well received presentations to the specially invited group of donors and other supporters of the Internet life, family and culture news service.

The intimate setting of a small restaurant in Toronto’s Little Italy district facilitated lots of discussion and greater familiarity with the LifeSiteNews team whom many had never personally met before. Human Life International president Fr. Thomas Euteneur’s keynote address emphasized the necessity of being part of the Church militant in what is above all a spiritual battle that we are all engaged in to defend life and family.

A second LSN Key Supporters’ dinner meeting with keynote speaker Michael O’Brien was scheduled for Nov. 2 in Ottawa with the event not having yet taken place at the time of this writing.

The results of the November 9th by-elections in four Canadian ridings gave the Conservatives 2 seats and also gave one seat each to the NDP and Bloc Quebecois.

None of the winning candidates are known to be pro-life. It is presumed that Fin Donnelly, the NDP winner in B.C.’s New Westminster Coquitlam riding intends to follow the party policy of abortion on demand.

In the riding of Hochelaga, the Bloc Quebecois’ Daniel Paillé was the successful candidate. On most of the life and family issues, the Bloc is not on side. So, unless we have someone who is prepared to buck the trend, we won’t be able to depend on him.

The Conservative Bernard Genereaux won the riding of Montmagn –L’Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du Loup where Campagne Quebec Vie’s Georges Buscemi reports a substantial pro-life population (relatively), so we’ll have to see where our lobbying efforts will lead in the effort to strain out Genereaux’s standing on the life issues.

The other conservative victory was in Cumberland– Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley in Nova Scotia where
Scott Armstrong claimed victory. Numerous calls to his campaign office and questionnaire went unanswered,
so CLC’s Nova Scotia President Herm Wills will continue his efforts to meet with Scott. We’ll advise you as results of our lobbying reports come in. come in.

We are always receiving calls where urgent medical care is required for many various circumstances so, for this reason, we are looking to add to our database of physicians who run pro-life practices. As you well know, our society does not facilitate such practices so we all must rely on word of mouth. If you know of one such pro-life physician, we would be deeply appreciative to receive them into our database at your recommendation. In this way. you will be helping us to connect desperate individuals with the specialized, compassionate care that they require.

In financially strapped times, we find ourselves becoming innovative in the attempt to be save our pennies. To this end, we invite anyone who may have an abundance of Air Miles to consider donating their redeemed value in the form of flights. Our work often requires our presence at various conferences throughout North America and abroad (i.e. International Right to Life Federation annual meetings) so your donation will directly help us in travel expenses. Please get in touch with us at the CLC office if you feel you would like to support the cause of life in this way.

You have received an insert in this mailing, a Christmas Gift Catalogue, featuring four important fundraisers of Campaign Life Coalition. We are selling tasty fruitcakes, useful day planners, beautiful Christmas cards, and wonderful Christmas music CDs. The fruitcakes are scrumptious and exquisite, with large two-pound cakes in a decorative tin for $22 and smaller 1.7-pound bars for $15. The CD was arranged last year by Fr. Louis Di Rocco, featuring solo and choral performances of 22 songs.

This religious Christmas music includes songs sung in English, French, German, Italian, Latin and Polish. It is sure to delight every family. If you purchased one last year and enjoyed it, perhaps you’d like to purchase a few more for Christmas gifts. The Christmas cards feature religious artwork in seven different designs. It is $7.95 for one package of ten quality cards and envelopes or three packages for $20. They are beautiful and your loved ones will appreciate receiving them. Order soon so that you can send them in time for Christmas.

Lastly, the Agenda for Life 2010 Life Planner is a weekly planner and calendar that has pro-life information and fun tidbits. It is an enjoyable way for you to plan your time.

All these make wonderful gifts for friends, family, neighbours, teachers, pastors, employees and employers. You can purchase cards, cakes, planners and music that you probably buy anyway and the proceeds don’t go to some company that may or may not share your principles, but to the pro-life cause. It is a win-win for everyone. Please use the order form, making cheques payable to Campaign Life Coalition, and returning them to Campaign Life Coalition at 104 Bond St., Toronto, Ont., M5B 1X9.

In September we encouraged supporters who receive The Interim, Canada’s life and family issues newspaper, but have not subscribed directly, to purchase a discounted subscription to this important pro-life journalistic endeavour. In August, the paper lost nearly $50,000 in postal subsidies because of the way Heritage Canada’s Publication Assistance Program now counts subscriptions. Many CLC supporters no longer qualified for a subsidized mailing because they had not directly requested and paid separately for The Interim. It will go a long way in helping both the paper’s bottom line and our financial stability if you were to use the response card in this mailing to indicate you would like to subscribe to The Interim and pay your preferred amount for your subscription. We could reduce payments to the paper and the subscription would result in a return to the postal subsidy it lost in August. We also remind supporters that The Interim makes a great Christmas gift – one that your friends and relatives will get sent to their door every month for a year.

In other Interim news, the website redesign is complete and www.theinterim.com looks great. It will feature exclusive commentary and a blog with material that is not available in the paper edition, and also includes the complete archives of the newspaper. Already, all the years from 1983 to 1995 are up and more are coming. This is a tremendous resource for students and others interested in the history of life and family issues in Canada. If you are on the internet, check out the website. If you are not, let your children, grandchildren, friends and co-workers know about the website. It is full of important pro-life information, commentary and analysis.

From time to time, we have a need for a dependable used car for our Toronto staff. As you are well aware, salaries for full-time pro-life workers is below market average so, when the need arises, someone who no longer needs an extra auto, donates to the cause. In the past, due to a recent death in the family or someone elderly surrendering their driver’s license, autos have been offered and gratefully accepted. Please call us if you know that one is available.

One of the best means of spreading the pro-life message and keeping people informed about life and family issues is through the pages of The Interim, your pro-life newspaper that has been publishing monthly for 25 years. If you do not have a paid subscription, order one today. It is one of the best things you can do to promote pro-life news and views. A regular paid subscription is $40 per year, but a special rate is offered to CLC supporters, only $25 for a one year subscription. E-mail dirocco@lifesite.net or phone 416-204-1687.

Occasionally, it is necessary to activate pro-lifers for immediate action. For those of you with access to the internet, please forward your email address to clc@lifesite.net. This will enable us to enhance our communications with supporters for specific action items.

May Almighty God Bless You and Yours this Christmas.

Jim Hughes
CLC National President