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.

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.

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

by Kate

DefendGirls is a new campaign to provide information and raise awareness about sex-selective abortion. I recommend taking a look at the DefendGirls Facebook page or at the website defendgirls.ca. The site offers information about the issue and about Motion 408, the motion recently filed in the House of Commons asking parliamentarians to condemn sex-selective abortions as discrimination against girls. The site also provides suggestions and links for further action and has a very interesting blog. DefendGirls stickers, postcards, business cards and t-shirts can be purchased through the NCLN website.

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.

This post was written for Kwantlen Protectores Vitae by Kwantlen Protectores Vitae. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kwantlen Student Association Rescinds Earlier Decision and Grants Pro-Life Club Status

LANGLEY, B.C. (December 6 2012) – In the midst of preparing to file a lawsuit against their student association for discrimination, the pro-life student group at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in B.C. has been granted full club status.

The Runner, the Kwantlen student newspaper, reported that the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) reversed its earlier decision during a two-hour in-camera session on December 5th, and has now granted Protectores Vitae (Protectors of Life) formal status as a campus club. The specific content of any motions from the meeting was not made available, nor was the record of how the individual board members voted. Oliver Capko, the president of Protectores Vitae, was contacted later that evening by Christopher Girodat, the Chairperson of the KSA Executive Committee, who informed him of the decision.

“I am relieved that the issue has been resolved,” said Oliver. “After working towards this all semester, it is great to finally be accepted and treated like other clubs on campus.”

This decision by the Kwantlen Student Association was a reversal of its November 9th decision, which rejected the group’s application on the grounds that it conflicted with the student union’s pro-choice policy on abortion. Protectores Vitae secured legal representation from the Justice Centre, and demanded that the student association rescind their decision and, when the KSA did not, Protectores Vitae prepared to file a lawsuit.

“The Justice Centre has invested a lot of time in legal research and preparing the court documents, but we are happy that it will not be necessary to commence a court action against this discrimination,” stated Calgary lawyer John Carpay, President of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.

“This has not been the first time such discrimination against pro-life groups has happened on university campuses,” commented Anastasia Pearse on behalf of the National Campus Life Network. “We hope that other student associations will learn from Kwantlen’s example so that this won’t happen again.”

The students of Protectores Vitae, who are currently in the midst of exam season, plan to begin club activities on campus in the New Year.

“Now that we no longer have to fight against discrimination, we can actually focus on why we wanted to start this club in the first place,” said Oliver. “It’s important that bioethical issues, like abortion, are raised on campus and we look forward to being part of that conversation here at Kwantlen.”

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For media requests, please contact:

John Carpay, President, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, 403-619-8014 or jcarpay@jccf.ca

Anastasia Pearse, National Campus Life Network, westerncanada@ncln.ca, 604 365 3484

Oliver Capko, President Protectores Vitae, kwantlenprotectoresvitae@hotmail.com, http://kwantlenprotectoresvitae.ncln.ca/

Read the comments at the Kwantlen Protectores Vitae website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kwantlen Student Association Rescinds Earlier Decision and Grants Pro-Life Club Status

LANGLEY, B.C. (December 6 2012) – In the midst of preparing to file a lawsuit against their student association for discrimination, the pro-life student group at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in B.C. has been granted full club status.

The Runner, the Kwantlen student newspaper, reported that the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) reversed its earlier decision during a two-hour in-camera session on December 5th, and has now granted Protectores Vitae (Protectors of Life) formal status as a campus club. The specific content of any motions from the meeting was not made available, nor was the record of how the individual board members voted. Oliver Capko, the president of Protectores Vitae, was contacted later that evening by Christopher Girodat, the Chairperson of the KSA Executive Committee, who informed him of the decision.

“I am relieved that the issue has been resolved,” said Oliver. “After working towards this all semester, it is great to finally be accepted and treated like other clubs on campus.”

This decision by the Kwantlen Student Association was a reversal of its November 9th decision, which rejected the group’s application on the grounds that it conflicted with the student union’s pro-choice policy on abortion. Protectores Vitae secured legal representation from the Justice Centre, and demanded that the student association rescind their decision and, when the KSA did not, Protectores Vitae prepared to file a lawsuit.

“The Justice Centre has invested a lot of time in legal research and preparing the court documents, but we are happy that it will not be necessary to commence a court action against this discrimination,” stated Calgary lawyer John Carpay, President of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.

“This has not been the first time such discrimination against pro-life groups has happened on university campuses,” commented Anastasia Pearse on behalf of the National Campus Life Network. “We hope that other student associations will learn from Kwantlen’s example so that this won’t happen again.”

The students of Protectores Vitae, who are currently in the midst of exam season, plan to begin club activities on campus in the New Year.

“Now that we no longer have to fight against discrimination, we can actually focus on why we wanted to start this club in the first place,” said Oliver. “It’s important that bioethical issues, like abortion, are raised on campus and we look forward to being part of that conversation here at Kwantlen.”

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For media requests, please contact:

John Carpay, President, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, 403-619-8014 or jcarpay@jccf.ca

Anastasia Pearse, National Campus Life Network, westerncanada@ncln.ca, 604 365 3484

Oliver Capko, President Protectores Vitae, kwantlenprotectoresvitae@hotmail.com, http://kwantlenprotectoresvitae.ncln.ca/

This post was written for Kwantlen Protectores Vitae by Kwantlen Protectores Vitae. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pro-Life Students to Take Kwantlen Student Association to Court for Discrimination

LANGLEY, B.C. (December 3 2012) – Protectores Vitae, the pro-life group at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, has announced that it will be taking the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) to court after the KSA failed to rescind the decision that denied the group the right to exist on campus.

Court documents are expected to be completed and filed the week of December 10-14. These documents will be made available on the club’s website after having been filed at court.

“After discussion amongst Protectores Vitae members, we have decided to move forward with the lawsuit,” said Oliver Capko, president of the pro-life student group. “It is unfortunate that we have to sue our own student representatives in order to secure equal and fair treatment on campus.”

Legal representation for the Kwantlen Student Association did bring forward an offer to grant Protectores Vitae status as a “recognized group” but not campus club status on par with 33 other clubs. Recognized group status is granted to religious and political party groups, or those that exist to support a specific external organization. Clubs, on the other hand, can be academic, athletic, social, cultural “or other purpose that seeks to enrich the extracurricular lives of students through their time at Kwantlen University,” according to the KSA Clubs Package.

“We are an autonomous group, without affiliation to any other external organization,” stated Oliver Capko. “We are not religious, nor are we political. Our activities would lead to consideration of bio-ethical issues at Kwantlen, which would surely enrich the extracurricular experience of students. That is why we applied for club status and not for recognized group status.”

“Student unions need to recognize and fund all student groups, or none of them. The student union politicians have no legal authority to fund only groups that they like and agree with, while denying funding to groups they disagree with,” stated Oliver Capko’s lawyer, John Carpay.

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For media requests, please contact:
John Carpay, President, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, 403-619-8014 or jcarpay@jccf.ca

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

Oliver Capko, President Protectores Vitae, kwantlenprotectoresvitae@hotmail.com,

Read the comments at the Kwantlen Protectores Vitae website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kwantlen Pro-Life Student Group Denied Right to Exist on their University Campus

LANGLEY, B.C. (November 27 2012) – Students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University have obtained legal representation to fight a recent rejection by the student union of their application to form a pro-life club on campus.

The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA), which represents the students from the university’s four Vancouver Metro area campuses, explained its decision by stating that the creation of the Protectores Vitae club “is clearly against our own standing policy on Abortion and a Woman’s Right to Choose.”

“We’re very disappointed,” said Oliver Capko, president of the pro-life group. “Our student association is supposed to represent us and not censor us for having a different position.”

“They are in violation of their own policies,” stated Anastasia Pearse, the Western Campus Coordinator for National Campus Life Network, an organization which supports pro-life students across Canada. “Their own policy states that the association can’t censor or interfere with a club, even if it disagrees with its beliefs. Free speech and debate, even on controversial issues, should not be stifled at a university simply because those in positions of authority are pro-choice.”

It also appears that the association may have made amendments on October 26 to Article 2 of its Club Procedures Policy in an attempt to create a stronger basis for denying status. The changes significantly increased the ways in which the student association could justify the denial of club recognition.

The club is demanding that the Kwantlen Student Association grant them status. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has taken the case and is acting on behalf of Protectores Vitae.

“We sincerely hope that it will not be necessary for Mr. Capko and other students to sue the KSA,” said John Carpay, lawyer and President of the JCCF. “The student union has no legal authority to impose its own views about a moral or political issue on all students by denying club status to students who disagree with the student union. The student union has an obligation to treat all students equally and fairly, without denying the right of students to freely associate on the Kwantlen campus and form the clubs of their own choosing.”

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For media requests, please contact:

Oliver Capko, President Protectores Vitae, kwanlenprotectoresvitae@hotmail.com, 604-772-1156

John Carpay, President, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, 403-619-8014 or jcarpay@jccf.ca

Further details can be found on the club’s website.  

To support free speech at Kwantlen, click here.

This post was written for Kwantlen Protectores Vitae by Kwantlen Protectores Vitae. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kwantlen Pro-Life Student Group Denied Right to Exist on their University Campus

LANGLEY, B.C. (November 27 2012) – Students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University have obtained legal representation to fight a recent rejection by the student union of their application to form a pro-life club on campus.

The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA), which represents the students from the university’s four Vancouver Metro area campuses, explained its decision by stating that the creation of the Protectores Vitae club “is clearly against our own standing policy on Abortion and a Woman’s Right to Choose.”

“We’re very disappointed,” said Oliver Capko, president of the pro-life group. “Our student association is supposed to represent us and not censor us for having a different position.”

“They are in violation of their own policies,” stated Anastasia Pearse, the Western Campus Coordinator for National Campus Life Network, an organization which supports pro-life students across Canada. “Their own policy states that the association can’t censor or interfere with a club, even if it disagrees with its beliefs. Free speech and debate, even on controversial issues, should not be stifled at a university simply because those in positions of authority are pro-choice.”

It also appears that the association may have made amendments on October 26 to Article 2 of its Club Procedures Policy in an attempt to create a stronger basis for denying status. The changes significantly increased the ways in which the student association could justify the denial of club recognition.

The club is demanding that the Kwantlen Student Association grant them status. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has taken the case and is acting on behalf of Protectores Vitae.

“We sincerely hope that it will not be necessary for Mr. Capko and other students to sue the KSA,” said John Carpay, lawyer and President of the JCCF. “The student union has no legal authority to impose its own views about a moral or political issue on all students by denying club status to students who disagree with the student union. The student union has an obligation to treat all students equally and fairly, without denying the right of students to freely associate on the Kwantlen campus and form the clubs of their own choosing.”

-30-

For media requests, please contact:

Oliver Capko, President Protectores Vitae, kwantlenprotectoresvitae@hotmail.com, 604-772-1156

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

John Carpay, President, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, 403-619-8014 or jcarpay@jccf.ca

Read the comments at the Kwantlen Protectores Vitae website.

Kimberley Milousis, Founding Leader of Simply You, is giving you the opportunity to purchase Simply You’s exquisite selection of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings* while also supporting National Campus Life Network.

25% of all sales between now and midnight on December 10th will go to National Campus Life Network to help us educate, network and support pro-life students on campuses across Canada. 

Simply You: A Canadian-based company offering ultra-chic jewelry handcrafted with elements such as freshwater pearls, glass cut crystals, cubic zirconia gemstones and semi-precious gemstones such as turquoise and jasper. Also available are sterling silver charms, charm bracelets and charm necklaces.

Pull out your Christmas list, start browsing online and checking off names! You’ll find many gift ideas for your wife, girlfriend, fiancé, sister, friends, daughter, mom … any lady in your life!

Order deadline: December 10^th, midnight

How to order :

1. Browse online at www.kimberley.mysimplyyou.com & view the December Promotions

2. Confirm order one of THREE ways:

• Checkout online using this code: 9200
• Email the item information with 9200 in the title to Kimberley: kimberley.milousis@gmail.com.
• Call Kimberley and mention NCLN: 647-896-3296.

Payment: Credit card or Email Money Transfer.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask Kimberley for recommendations or about how to order etc.

Visit Kimberley’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SimplyKimberley

Share this with your friends and family!

*ALL SIMPLY YOU JEWELRY IS LEAD-FREE, NICKEL-FREE, AND HYPO-ALLERGENIC.

Consider donating directly to NCLN as we prepare for an exciting new year!

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.

Josie (on right) with Anastasia Pearse (centre) and Kathleen Dunn (left).

By Josie Wichrowski, NCLN Summer Intern 2012
As my internship is coming to a close, I reflect on the last three months of my summer working for NCLN. There have been some amazing highlights such as: participating in CCBR’s Abortion Caravan Launch in Vancouver, attending Signal Hill’s Focus on Life Gala dinner, and taking part in an NCLN training program in Burlington ON with the rest of the NCLN staff team. Overall, I cannot say enough how much my training impacted me and how grateful I am to the staff at NCLN for the internship opportunity. I am convinced that my week of training in Burlington equipped me with the knowledge and tools I needed to have a successful summer working for NCLN, and the research and assignments I did over this summer definitely equipped me to better help my peers as I head back to school this fall, where I will continue being active in the pro-life movement on my  campus.  I am really excited to return to school and give back all that I have learned this summer.

This summer I have learned not only about the work NCLN does, but also about the pro-life movement as a whole. I found it truly remarkable how many pro-life organizations are working towards building a culture of life in our country. But,  even more remarkable is how NCLN is the only organization that specifically caters to university students and campus clubs in Canada.

Therefore, I urge you, if you are an executive member with your campus club this year, or will be one in the future, make sure to take advantage of the NCLN Campus Coordinator nearest to you! If you ever need a guiding hand to help you make an impact on campus, don’t hesitate to contact NCLN. As I have gotten to know them personally, I can vouch that they are very friendly people!

Secondly, try and make a point of attending their Annual National Symposium in Toronto, where you will receive pro-life training and hear amazing pro-life speakers. It is also a unique opportunity to meet other pro-life student leaders across the country in the same shoes as you—I wish I had attended when I was at Capilano University!

Thank you NCLN for my internship, and for continuing to work towards equipping students so that the pro-life message is heard on our campuses. I hope that NCLN will continue to grow and make an even bigger impact for years to come!

Thank you!