Pro-life demonstrators march for abortion legislation

- WCR photo by Ramon Gonzalez Local pro-life supporters marched around the Law Courts Building to protest the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to decriminalize abortion in Canada.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

About a dozen hardy people braved the bitter winter cold Jan. 28 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to decriminalize abortion in Canada.

Carrying signs that read "PROLife Legislation, NOT Procrastination" and "Thanks Mom for Giving me Life," the demonstrators walked around the Law Courts Building for about an hour to show solidarity with the unborn and to demand change.

"I'm here today because defenceless fetuses are being basically murdered. They have no choice and I think it's wrong that they can be killed, that they can be aborted up to nine months," said Dennis Ducholke of Devon.

Be accountable

Ducholke, a father of two and grandfather of six, wants Parliament to place restrictions on abortion, including having the people who want the abortions to pay for them to make them more accountable.

The purpose of the hour-long demonstration under minus 30 degree weather was to create awareness of the situation of the unborn and "just to be a voice for the voiceless," said Karen Richert, spokesperson for Edmonton Prolife.

"For 20 years Canada has been a nation without any protection for its unborn from the moment of conception throughout all nine months of pregnancy; we want to ask government to bring in legislation to protect the unborn."

Even legislation that would forbid abortion after 20 weeks would be better than no protection at all, Richert said. "So we would ask the government to consider legislation that would protect the unborn at 20 weeks.

"We would love it to be more, but we know change has to come incrementally. I want to stress that because there are some people in the pro-life movement that say it's all or nothing, that we are compromising if we settle for anything less (than a full ban on abortion), but I think we have to chip away at it."

Mandatory counselling outside of abortion clinics is also needed so abortion-seekers can make informed decisions, the pro-life leader said.

The pro-life movement is also calling for spousal and parental notification laws, which means parents would have to be notified before children under 18 can have an abortion.

Absurd law

"Perhaps it should be much like when you want to have your ears pierced," Richert said. "You have to have your parents sign three pieces of paper to get your ears pierced. That's the absurdity of the law.

"A child can't get their ears pierced without parents authorization but girls don't need to tell their parents if they are having an abortion."

Tina Kawalilak, a mother of five adult children, walked in front of the Law Courts Building praying in silence while holding a sign that said "Save the Babies."

"I'm hoping that the presence of us here and my sign will bring repentance to our government leaders for the wicked laws that they've allowed to be," Kawalilak said. "I'm praying that they'll place safeguards to protect the unborn."

According to Edmonton Prolife, the Supreme Court decision to strike down all abortion laws 20 years ago placed Canada in a league almost of its own in the world.

"Canada is one of three countries that have no protection for the unborn; the other two are North Korea and China," the organization said in a news release.

Currently there are more than 100,000 abortions a year in Canada, including 10,000 in Alberta and 5,000 in Edmonton.

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