It’s Walkathon time again, Saturday, May 29

Put your walking shows on and mark your calendar for the Halton Pro-Life Walkathon fundraiser on Saturday, May 29. Invite  family and friends to sponsor you for a 5 or 10km walk or sponsor a walker for the 5 or 10km walk.

You can pick up your pledge forms at your church or from our Resource Centre (Burlington Square Plaza, 760 Brant Street, Burlington) or download from here:pledge-sheet-in-word2

Come on out for a free t-shirt, barbecue and prizes.

 We will gather at the parking lot of St. Dominic Church on Rebecca Street (at Jones Street) at 8:30 a.m. for registration of people taking the 10 km walk. They will set off at 9:00 a.m. We will register people for the 5 km walk at 9:30 and they will set off at 10 a.m. Both groups are due to return by 11 a.m.

 I’s fun, it’s a chance to witness for life and it will help raise funds for our pro-life work.

We have been hearing for years how those standing opposed to embryonic stem cell research are leading to deaths. We are told (wrongly) that embryonic stem cells hold the promise of an array of cures. In fact, we heard assurances from former presidential hopeful Jonathan Edwards that through embryonic stem cell research, quadriplegic Christopher Reeves (still living at the time of Edwards’ comments) would get up and walk again.

Certainly in understanding the controversy surrounding the stem cell debate, the underlying point has been deliberately distorted and fingers have been pointed at pro-lifers for failing to get on board with “stem cell research.” To read who are the people really standing in the way of life-saving research, click here for my blog.

Tom Bartlett, HPL President

The Reaching Minds Through Media TV ads that ran for 13 weeks ending in early February, struck a chord with many viewers. Jakki Jeffs, Executive Director of Alliance For Life Ontario, which ran the ads, says visits to the AFLO website increased by 150% while the ads were running. One ad contained the telephone number of a 24 Hour Helpline. A count of the number of people who called the line is not yet available at the time of this Halton pro-Life blog post, but we will publish it as soon as we get it.

Jakki received emails and phone calls both applauding and criticising the ads. What is remarkable is the extent of ignorance among the general public about abortion. To see more about people’s reaction to the ads, click here.

The province can decide if cases of euthanasia and assisted suicide are prosecuted, even though they are illegal under the Canadian criminal code.

In the U.K., where a similar law exists, many disabled people are frightened by new prosecution guidelines.

In Canada, if the current bill before parliament, Bill C-384, is defeated, and euthanasia and assisted suicide remain illegal, the province could effectively weaken the law by withholding from prosecuting. The history of prosecutions in Canada shows that often sentences are light. For more details, click here.

In the recent scandal over the group, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), I was struck by several parallels between this group and Planned Parenthood.

For those who know little of the scandal, ACORN was exposed in a series of videos revealing corruption within their organization. In the sting operation, two young people (James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles) enter several ACORN offices under the pretext of setting up a prostitution business for under-aged girls from El Salvador. The workers could not have been more accommodating, not only in how to hide their activities, but ways to keep the money hidden from the government. Prior to this, ACORN was already dealing with an array of court battles due to their alleged illegal voting registration practices that have been under investigation.

For a summary of the similarities, go to my blog.

The much anticipated Tim Tebow pro-life ad aired on US TV stations during the Super Bowl but not on Canadian cable channels that substituted Canadian advertisements). It proved to be a gentle light-hearted show of affection between Pam Tebow and the son she was advised to abort, Tim Tebow, who grew up to be an award-winning football player. The reactions of Planned Parenthood and the National Organization for Women (NOW), which opposed the ad as being “anti-choice” give us an opportunity to reflect on the rights of women to be told the truth. For some thoughts, go to the Executive Director’s Blog

Anthony Cordeiro, Vice Principal of Bishop Reding High School in Milton, will be the main speaker at the Halton Pro-Life annual general meeting. He will describe the great progress that has been made in the Catholic high schools of the Halton District, the development of the pro-life clubs and the flowering of a vibrant Culture of Life among the students.

Anyone who has visited the schools, especially during their Culture of Life seminars and conferences, has been impressed by the fervour of the students in the pro-life clubs and their grasp of the pro-life issues. Anthony Cordeiro will show how such youth are the future of pro-life and builders of the Culture of Life.

Please come to celebrate the Culture of Life among our youth, and to enjoy refreshments and fellowship after our speaker.

Euthanasia and the danger that it will be legalized in Canada will be discussed at a coffee and dessert evening being hosted by Halton Pro-Life’s neighbour, Hamilton Right to Life, on Thursday February 11. The main speaker is Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The event will be held at 7 p.m. in the Nicholas Mancini Centre, 44 Hunt Street, Hamilton, (behind the Christ the King Cathedral on King Street, just before the ramp to the 403).

The debate in Parliament on the Bill (C-384) has been delayed by prorogation. Alex says that this gives us time to contact MPs again. Some MPs oppose the Bill because they believe it lacks sufficient safeguards against abuse, not because they oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide in principle. For an analysis please turn to our article on Palliative Care Threatened by Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide and other articles in our Euthanasia Articles section.

From February 17 to March 28, local communities will be among many cities across Canada and the U.S. joining together for a dynamic coordinated pro-life mobilization: 40 Days for Life. This will consist of:

• 40 days of prayer and fasting;
• 40 days of peaceful vigil;
• 40 days of community outreach.

 40 Days for Life activities will take place in Toronto and Guelph. For details click here or contact Toronto or Guelph directly:

Toronto 40 Days for Life at 40daystoronto@gmail.com or call: 416-204-9749 / 647-638-5433.

Guelph 40 Days for Life at facts@guelphforlife.com, or call 519-836-6311.

See also our report on Clinics Close after 40 Days for Life Vigils. Also, go to the 40 Days for Life website.

As a result of 40 Days for Life vigils five abortion clinics have been closed in the U.S., eight abortion clinic employees have left the business, and one has joined the vigils herself. Vigils are planned for the Spring in Ontario. For more news on the success in the U.S., click here . . .