National Campus Life Network

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

In India, China and many other parts of the world today, girls are killed, aborted and abandoned simply because they are girls. The United Nations estimates that between 100 Million and 200 Million girls are missing in the world today because of this so-called “gendercide.” Last year, the Canadian Medical Association Journal and CBC’s The National reported on increased sex-selective abortion here in Canada.

Join us this Friday, April 19th, at 7pm at the University of Ottawa’s Café Alt (60 University Private) for a screening of “It’s A Girl” – a documentary film that examines this troubling phenomenon – and a discussion of how we can combat it. We’re committed to providing an open, supportive environment in which anyone interested in combating gendercide feels welcome.

After the film (around 8:15 PM), we’ll be hosting our Annual General Meeting and elections, so please feel free to stick around if you would like to get more involved in the pro-life movement on campus. 

For the Facebook event, see: https://www.facebook.com/events/146483725529670/

Have questions? Feel free to post them here or email us at uottawastudentsforlife@gmail.com. Thanks!
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Information & Resources:

Here’s the CBC Report on sex-selection abortion in Canada: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/06/12/ultrasound-gender-testing.html

Here’s the Canadian Medical Association Journal article on sex-selection abortion in Canada: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/3/E163

“It’s A Girl” Film Site: http://www.itsagirlmovie.com/

DefendGirls.ca is an activist group calling on Parliament to pass Motion 408, which would “condemn sex-selection pregnancy termination”: http://www.defendgirls.ca/

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

See We Need A Law for background, links and their action items.

From NCLN:

Motion 408 Needs YOU!

Mark Warawa’s Motion 408 has been deemed non-votable, even though it met all the criteria for votability, as the impartial analyst from the Library of Parliament repeatedly said. This decision was “shocking and undemocratic” and will be appealed. But your help is urgently needed!

As you slave away on your computer, finishing up those final term assignments, take a break to Tweet and e-mail Prime Minister Harper and the committee members who will be involved with this appeal. Encourage your friends to do likewise!

Our politicians NEED to hear an OUTCRY from the public.

PM Harper can be contacted via:
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca
Twitter: @pmharper
Phone: 613-992-4211

Here are the committee members who will hear Mark Warawa’s appeal!
@CraigScottNDP
@nathancullen
@NycoleTurmelNPD
@Armstrong_MP
@ParmGill
@TomLukiwski
@CostasMenegakis
@ScottReidCPC

Every time you Tweet about this, be sure to include @pmharper and hashtag #M408 !

Give those thumbs some extra exercise and Tweet Tweet Tweet!

E-mail these committee members who deemed Motion 408 non-votable:

Dave MacKenzie – dave.mackenzie@parl.gc.ca
Scott Armstrong – scott.armstrong@parl.gc.ca
Stephane Dion – stephane.dion@parl.gc.ca
Philip Toone – philip.toone@parl.gc.ca

Remember that this is not about voting for #M408, but about deeming the motion VOTABLE so that it can be debated in the House of Commons.

Can’t think of a Tweet to Tweet? Here’s some examples:

@pmharper Listen to the 92%! #M408 should be deemed votable!

The library of parliament analyst said #M408 passed the criteria. Will you respect procedure? Allow M408 to go to the House! @pmharper

Canada needs to condemn ALL discrimination against women! @pmharper Allow #M408 to be debated!

92% of Canadians want to see sex-selective abortion banned. Why is the debate being banned? Where’s the democracy? @pmharper? #M408

Disappointed with @armstrong_MP for ignoring the need to protect women with #M408! @pmharper

@ParmGill Be a voice for Canadian women and support the vote for #M408 @pmharper

Support #M408! @TomLukiwski @CostasMenegakis @ScottReidCPC @ParmGill @Armstrong_MP @NycoleTurmelNDP @nathancullen @CraigScottNDP

Be sure to Tweet @MPMarkWarawa to show him your support and encouragement!

Don’t forget to follow NCLN on Twitter to stay updated!

@NCLN
@NCLNwestern
@RebeccaFaustina
@Clarlulu
@Kathleen_Dunn

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

In addition, Carleton University is hosting a screening of the award-winning documentary It’s A Girl this Thursday. See the Facebook event for more details and attend to learn more about this international and deadly form of discrimination.

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

Press Release

 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS RAISE AWARENESS ON SEX-SELECTION

 TORONTO, ON (March 12 2013) – This semester, university students across Canada are raising awareness about sex-selection through the DefendGirls campaign, brought to campuses through National Campus Life Network (NCLN). Through resources, activities and events, including the screening of the award winning documentary ‘It’s a Girl’, thousands of students are being reached with the message that “’It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence”.  This week, events in BC will also feature MP Mark Warawa speaking about Motion 408 following screenings of the documentary.

 “The goal is to raise awareness on campus as well as to build support for the condemnation of this practice by the Canadian parliament,” states Rebecca Richmond, Executive Director of NCLN, which has coordinated the efforts of these students and produced the resources being distributed. 

 Although sex-selective abortion has garnered attention because of the severe sex ratio imbalances in China and India, recent evidence has shown that the practice is occurring in Canada as well.  A 2012 CBC investigation found that many ultrasound clinics will disclose preborn children’s sex early on, knowing that sex-selective abortion may be procured as a result.[1]  Research has also demonstrated that there are sex ratio discrepancies in certain Canadian communities.[2]

 “This is an issue that resonates with the youth,” comments Anastasia Pearse, Western Campus Coordinator of NCLN.  “Gender equality is an important value to Canadians and sex-selection is completely opposed to that value. We are pleased to see students taking up this campaign with so much enthusiasm.”

 Along with 17 screenings of the ‘It’s a Girl’ documentary, thousands of DefendGirls info cards and drop cards have been distributed and thousands more will be in the weeks to come.  Laptop stickers and t-shirts have been used to increase awareness on campus; the message has also reached thousands more via social media campaigns on Facebook

 “Killing girls because of their gender really is the ultimate war on women,” continues Richmond.  “By bringing this campaign and the documentary to campus we hope to move students to defend girls at all stages of life. ‘It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence.”

 -30-

More information on these resources, produced by National Campus Life Network, can be found at: www.ncln.ca/resources/defendgirls

 For a listing of ‘It’s a Girl’ screenings, please visit: www.ncln.ca/blog/defendgirlsoncampus

 For further comment please contact:

 Rebecca Richmond, Executive Director of the National Campus Life Network, director@ncln.ca, 416 388 0461.

 Anastasia Pearse, Western Campus Coordinator of the National Campus Life Network,westerncanada@ncln.ca, 604 365 3484.

 ¹CBC, “Fetal gender testing offered at private clinics,” June 12 2012, <www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/06/12/ultrasound-gender-testing.html>.

 ² Dr. Rajendra Kale, “ ‘It’s a girl!’ – could be a death sentence.”Canadian Medical Association Journal March 6, 2012 vol. 184 no. 4. First published January 16, 2012, <www.cmaj.ca/content/184/4/387.full?sid=9e06cf2c-765f-46b6-a23d-ce829ad37c79>.

Here’s what’s in store on the campuses over the next couple of weeks!

Over 15 campuses will be hosting public screenings of the ‘It’s A Girl’ documentary.  The film talks about the impact of gendercide and sex-selective abortion, specifically in India and China.  Mark Warawa (MP – Langley) will also speak on Motion 408 following the B.C. screenings.   

Here are the screenings dates coming up in the next few week with links to their Facebook event page.  Check one out at a campus in your area and keep coming back to this page for screenings being added!  

Brock Life-line promoting their upcoming screening of It’s A Girl on Friday, March 8th.

Thursday, March 7th

• University of Manitoba, MPR Room (210 Killarney) 2nd floor University Centre, 7:00pm

 Friday, March 8th

• Brock University, Thistle 247, 7:00pm

 

Tuesday, March 12th 

• UBC, Woodward 6, 6:30pm

 

Wednesday, March 13th

• Trinity-Western University, Northwest Auditorium, 4:00pm
• Simon Fraser University, Burnaby C9001, 6:30pm

 

Thursday, March 14th

• University of Waterloo, RCH 308, 7:00pm
• University of Guelph, Mackinnon 029, 7:00pm
• McMaster University, Mills L115, 7:30pm

Monday, March 25

• University of Toronto, Sidney Smith 2135, 6:00PM
• McGill University, SSMU Ballroom, 9:00PM

Thursday, March 28

• Carleton University, Tory Bldg Room 447, 7:30PM

Wednesday, April 3

• York University, Student Centre 307, 4:30PM
• Tyndale University College, Chapel, 6:30PM

 

The DefendGirls campaign  has gotten off to a great start, with more campuses using these resources to raise awareness on sex-selective abortion, gendercide, and to build support for Motion 408.

 

Members of Queen’s Alive during their DefendGirls Awareness Week

Queen’s Alive distributed DefendGirls materials last week, screened, ‘It’s A Girl’, and will be hosting a Euthansia Debate on March 13th, featuring  Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and Dr. Udo Schuklenk, a philosophy professor.  They will address the question, “Should assisted suicide and/or voluntary euthansia be decriminalized in Canada?”

 

University of Waterloo Students for Life will be doing a number of events for their Life Weeks, including having the Silent No More Awareness Campaign give personal testimonies on the hope and healing found after having an abortion, and inviting  Stephen Woodworth (MP, Kitchener Centre) to speak on Motion 312 on March 13th.  Check out the details on the outcome of this event here.

 

NCLN’s Executive Director, Rebecca Richmond, will be speaking to Brock Life-Line in St. Catharines on the impact of sex-selective abortion and gendercide in our world and our country. She will also expand on Motion 408 and what campuses can do to raise awareness and build support for the motion.

 

We are excited for all these events, and more!  Further details to come on the  ’It’s a Girl’ documentary screenings and other events!  Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

     

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

Check out this Time Magazine cover and the feature on Lia Mills in Toronto Life.

The Time article is available to subscribers only, but an article titled Pro-Life and Feminism Aren’t Mutually Exclusive by Emily Buchanan of the Susan B. Anthony List is available to all.

Watch Lia’s video that started it all:

What do you plan to do in 2013 to make abortion unthinkable?

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

Parliament may not want to discuss the hot topic of when life begins, but we do!

Come join us on Monday, December 3rd at 7 PM in Montpetit 202 (125 University Private) to welcome MP Stephen Woodworth to the University of Ottawa for a public lecture and discussion.

For those who may not know, MP Stephen Woodworth’s Motion 312 was recently voted down in Parliament. This motion proposed that the House of Commons establish a committee to examine the scientific evidence as to when human life begins, and to report back as to the human rights implications of its findings.

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

Wondering what to do now that the vote on Motion 312 is over? First, see how your MP voted and send an email thanking them or expressing your disappointment.

Next, take a moment to support Rona Ambrose, Canada’s Minister for the Status of Women, who has been getting quite a bit of flack for having an open mind and supporting M312. Add your name to the petition supporting Minister Ambrose and send off a quick email to the PM to let him know you stand behind her.

And if that isn’t enough for you, you can also make a video showing your support:

Remember, the defeat of Motion 312 is not the end, just the beginning! Canadians are tuning into the debate, so keep making your voice heard.

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

Time is almost up! The second hour of debate on Motion 312 is tomorrow, Sept. 21, and the vote will be held next Wednesday, Sept. 26. If you haven’t done so yet, please call or email your MP and the Prime Minister. Also check out Let’s Stop the Pretense and Letters4Life. (Be sure to add your effort to the Letter Tracker!)

***You can use this tool to email all MPs at once.

As Margaret Somerville eloquently stated:

More than 100,000 abortions are performed in Canada each year. I suggest that we need to recover our sense of amazement, wonder and awe at the creation of new human life and that an in depth discussion about what our law on abortion should be might help us in this regard.

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

We asked a few students from last year’s Symposium to share their thoughts with us on their experiences.

Matthew Cram, University of Toronto Students for Life

I thought the Symposium was absolutely fantastic.  It was a great opportunity to great way to brush up on the issues, see some inspiring speakers and get new ideas for events to take back to our campuses – ideas that would never have  otherwise occurred to me. The Symposium offered helpful advice and invaluable support for everything from complex apologetic to the basics of how to strike up a conversation in a crowd.  But I think that the thing I enjoyed most about the symposium was the opportunity to meet other people with their new fresh perspectives on the fight for life. So often on campuses we feel as if we are in the extreme minority and that is why it was such a great experience to see that people just like me from all over the country, each with something new to bring to the discussion, whether it was a new idea for an event or a new take on an argument.  The symposium helped me make great connections to other pro life clubs across the country and helped me make a whole lot of new friends as well. I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants advice on how to take the pro life message to their campus.

Erin Murphy, Brock Students for Life

I’ve been Pro-Life my whole life, knowing that abortion was not the answer to any problem. But it wasn’t until I attended the Symposium that I truly became Pro-Life. It was then when I heard, “If you actually believe that abortion is murder, how should you act?”. It was then that it clicked. I couldn’t be Pro-Life and stand by the sidelines anymore. I had to stand up, get the courage and fight for the innocent babies being murdered.

I highly recommend attending this Symposium. It helped give me the courage and skills I need to raise awareness about the genocide taking place in my own backyard.

Rebecca Groen, University of the Fraser Valley Life Link

Attending NCLN’s National Symposium was such a rewarding experience for me. Not only did I get to meet university students from across Canada who were also excited for the pro-life movement, I also gained valuable training from the many speakers that spent time with us that weekend. I established contacts from around my area, and together we  collaborated for Life Week! NCLN made sure we didn’t go home empty-handed, either. They had many resources available for us to take home to get our club started. I am thankful for Abbotsford Right to Life who provided us with funding to be able to participate in this event. 

James Vanderhorst, University of the Fraser Valley Life Link

This symposium was a crash course in how to be a pro-life advocate. It will equip you to do pro-life work and will leave you with a passion to defend the unborn. You’ll meet some great people and you’ll learn some great things.

This post was written for U of G Life Choice by Hanna. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with a local MP to discuss the upcoming vote on Motion 312.  For those who aren’t familiar with it, Motion 312 proposes the formation of a committee to discuss the Criminal Code’s definition of when human life begins.  At present, the definition is scientifically out-of-date, declaring:

“A child becomes a human being…when it has completely proceeded, in a living state, from the body of its mother…” (Section 223 of the Criminal Code of Canada)

The wording of this is so bizarre that I’m surprised a committee hasn’t tackled it already.  What are they suggesting the ‘child’ is before it’s a human being?  What species is a woman carrying for those nine months?  Technology has given us amazing insights into human development in the womb.  Anyone performing pre-natal surgery, or viewing an ultrasound image, would be hard-pressed to argue that the unborn child is not a human.

Though the MP I spoke with didn’t disagree with me there, he did state that Canadians found the current Criminal Code to be ‘acceptable’, and indicated that most people in the riding agreed with him.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t find it ‘acceptable’ that the current Criminal Code is in direct conflict with biology and sound logic.  Clearly, I’m not the only one: a 2011 poll by Abacus Data showed that 59% of Canadians advocate legal protection for children at some point before their birth.  An astonishing 72% said the same thing in a 2011 poll by Environics.  In each poll, almost 30% believed that such protection should be offered from the point of conception onwards.  Clearly, Canadians are not on board with the unscientific, absurd oddity parading around as law.  Why, then, are our government representatives not aware of this?

I’ll be honest – at 23 years old, I had never met with an MP before.  I have a hunch that there are a lot of youth out there who are not familiar with local politics.   However, in a society where often only the loudest are heard, I think we need to be considerably louder.  We can respectfully make our views known to our local representatives, so they’re no longer laboring under the illusion that they’re accurately representing the views of their riding.  We need to get involved with pro-life activism, to show that we are not okay with the current lack of abortion legislation.  We can become involved on the provincial level as well, and make it known that we do not think our tax dollars should go towards funding abortion on demand.

There are certainly many branches of the pro-life movement that are worthy of our attention.  It’s crucial to talk to individuals, and change people’s minds one at a time.  It’s important to spend time supporting women in crisis pregnancies, and to continue supporting them once their children are born.  However, the law needs to change too.  Every day that abortion is still legal in our country, and our tax dollars are going towards it, we carry the weight of responsibility on our shoulders.

At the end of the day, the goal is to have a country where abortion is recognized as the murder of a human being – recognized both in the hearts of its citizens, and in its law.  In order to achieve this, we need to speak up, shake ourselves out of complacency, and make sure our MPs know that the current state of things is not ‘acceptable’.

For more information on Motion 312, and how to contact your local MP, visit letsstopthepretense.com.  Send an e-mail, call them on the phone, or meet them in person — let them know that you support Motion 312, and you hope that they will too.

Read the comments at the U of G Life Choice website.