Canadian pro-life advocates rallied peacefully in the nation’s capital Thursday to mourn 50 years of legalized abortion on demand in their country.
The National March for Life drew thousands of people to Ottawa, calling for protections for unborn babies and their mothers, according to the Catholic News Agency. They also urged restored protections for the vulnerable people who are being targeted for euthanasia, which recently became legal throughout the country.
“The cold hand of euthanasia is upon our country as well,” Catholic Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto told the crowd.
Collins said Canada must begin to recognize again “the profound preciousness of the gift of life from the first moment of conception until natural death.”
Passionately pro-life! #whywemarch #MarchForLife pic.twitter.com/Txjz6Is6Ty
— COLF OCVF (@colf_ocvf) May 9, 2019
Other speakers included American pro-life advocate Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood director who became pro-life after watching an unborn baby be aborted.
“It is cowardly to support death. It is courageous to support life,” Johnson told the crowd. “There is nothing polite about abortion!”
Thousands more pro-life advocates rallied in Toronto, Alberta, Saskatchewan and other communities.
Ottawa Matters reported seeing a large number of young people at the main march, many holding signs that read, “Love life, choose life” and “Remember the unborn.”
“We care because this is something that is corrupting politics,” 16-year-old Gabrielle Vandrgragt told the news outlet. “If we could restore the sanctity of life, I feel like we could fix a lot of problems in our society.”
Some photos from today at the #MarchForLife in Ottawa.#WhyWeMarch @March_for_Life @CampaignLife Are you there today?? Comment below if you are or share photos with us! pic.twitter.com/56jAs5yM1F
— Salt + Light (@saltandlighttv) May 9, 2019
The entertainment news site Flare also noted the growing passion among young adults for the pro-life cause.
According to the report:
Those on both sides of the issue say the anti-abortion movement is gaining a newfound momentum, much of it stemming from the teens and twentysomethings who are educated, motivated—and ready to march. Josie Luctke, community outreach coordinator for Campaign for Life Coalition and one of the organizers of this year’s event, attended her first March when she was in grade nine. “Youth is the present of the pro-life movement, and also its future,” she says, adding that being anti-abortion is the counter culture of today’s society, where the default position is predominantly pro-choice. “Decades ago, being pro-choice was seen as being cool and rebellious and going against the social norm. These days, it’s [being] pro-life.”
A group of counter-protesters told Flare that they planned to disrupt the Ottawa march by physically blocking the route and trying to make enough noise to drown them out.
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Abortion activists trying to block the door of pro-life seminars after the Toronto March for Life. pic.twitter.com/hvF7JmjvLb
— Jonathon Van Maren (@JVanMaren) May 9, 2019
Several local news reports noted that abortion activists showed up at the rallies to counter-protest, some of them mocking pro-lifers for defending the unborn.
Abortions are legal for any reason up to birth in Canada. Euthanasia also has been legal in Canada for several years now, and politicians are talking about expanding euthanasia to sick children as well. Currently, only adults may be euthanized.
Canadians have faced a slew of assaults by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his administration. In 2017, Trudeau’s administration introduced a new policy requiring any group that applies for a Canadian Summer Jobs grant to sign a statement that they support abortion. The requirement has prompted protests from Christians, Muslims, Hindus and other religious groups.
A recent poll found the policy and Trudeau’s radical pro-abortion policies are widely unpopular among Canadians.
In 2017, abortion drugs also became available for the first time in Canada, and many provinces now force taxpayers to pay for them. Approximately 4,200 unborn babies in Canada were killed using the deadly drugs in the first year, according to Health Canada.
Thousands gathered on Parliament Hill for the 2019 #MarchforLife pic.twitter.com/VpIyCRjPyT
— Neil MacCarthy (@neilmaccarthy) May 9, 2019
Good to see thousands of Canadians standing up for Human Rights! The most basic human right is the Right to Life! Many Canadian Youth in the crowd! @RightNowHQ @CampaignLife #ProLife pic.twitter.com/6sFyk3985g
— Harold Albrecht, MP for Kitchener-Conestoga (@Albrecht4KitCon) May 9, 2019
WE HAVE BEGUN! #whywemarch #50yearstoomany #NMFL #prolife pic.twitter.com/vbFlFGreR1
— CLC Youth (@clcyouthprolife) May 9, 2019
Let your voice be heard. No matter what your age. You matter. #whywemarch #50yearstoomany #NMFL #prolife pic.twitter.com/iK3BCJkJlH
— CLC Youth (@clcyouthprolife) May 9, 2019
I’m proud to say that over my 15 years as a Member of Parliament, I have seen the #prolife movement grow in Canada. It has grown in numbers, diversified and the age demographics have widened. This #MarchForLife was 🔥#50yearstoomany #WhyWeMarch pic.twitter.com/tMURvQJLTA
— Brad Trost, MP 🇨🇦 (@BradTrostCPC) May 10, 2019
Silent no more. #MarchForLife #whywemarch pic.twitter.com/q4aO3CLcAJ
— COLF OCVF (@colf_ocvf) May 9, 2019
It truly has been 50 years to many for the rights of children in the womb in Canada. And we are here to let everyone know that. #whywemarch #50yearstoomany #NMFL #prolife pic.twitter.com/uOAN9Hrg3A
— CLC Youth (@clcyouthprolife) May 9, 2019
From conception to natural death. Canada, we stand on guard for thee. #whywemarch #50yearstoomany #NMFL #prolife pic.twitter.com/pLUPIdeFHv
— CLC Youth (@clcyouthprolife) May 9, 2019
I just had the privilege of attending the March for Life on the steps of BC’s Legislature today. About 3,000 people, including hundreds of youth, expressing their love and care for every life at all stages. What a positive movement! pic.twitter.com/GCOtPdACoM
— Laurie Throness (@LaurieThroness) May 9, 2019
Canada’s largest political gathering each year, the #MarchforLife in Ottawa, is kicking off. People still coming in, but the lawn is already nearly full. pic.twitter.com/G4LtU9DKF9
— Michael Hettrick 🇨🇦 (@MickHettrick) May 9, 2019
At the 22nd annual National March for Life on Parliament Hill. #MarchforLife #whywemarch #medhat #parliamenthill pic.twitter.com/y03GXky40M
— Glen Motz (@GlenMotz) May 9, 2019