We Survived 1988. Now We're Making Sure Everyone Else Does, Too.

by Jonathon Van Maren

Since the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) launched our official EndtheKilling strategy, representatives of CCBR have been travelling across Canada spreading the vision of an abortion-free nation. Young people are responding in enormous numbers. The vision is catching on.

Various groups, adopting the strategy and tactics laid out in the EndtheKilling, have been taking the message of life versus “choice” to Canadian streets, from Vancouver to Ottawa. Inspiring and encouraging stories are coming in from around the country—and this is just the beginning:

Nicholas McLeod of Ottawa Against Abortion, Ottawa, Ontario:

“I was doing ‘Choice’ Chain outside of Rideau Centre in Ottawa, in the hub of downtown. A sixteen-year-old girl, let’s call her Lisa, came up to me and said hi. We spoke for a few minutes, and she told me that she had done pro-life activism, and that her parents were very pro-life.

“She then told me that she had been raped at a party, and that as a result of this she was a month and a half pregnant. Lisa explained that although many people were harassing her to get an abortion, she was keeping the baby. She related that she had even had to close down her Facebook page because people were posting messages telling her to get rid of her child. Lisa told me in a strong voice that she knows that this is going to be difficult, especially when she starts becoming visibly pregnant, but that she will deal with it.

“This girl is a hero. She is not only dealing with this tragic situation, but she is doing it with strength and joy. It is hard to hold a graphic sign on the streets and talk to a hostile public, but not nearly as hard as what this young girl is doing. She is a hero, and we can be, too.”

Eric Kyfiuk of “Choice” Chain in Calgary, Alberta:

“Several protestors showed up to confront our efforts. After conversing and exhausting the usual arguments with the guy who was trying to antagonize us with his sign that read ‘Honk for Abortion,’ he folded up his sign and said, ‘You changed my mind. I’m going.’ I can’t remember which of the pro-life arguments changed his mind, but I believe it was when I pointed out the historical parallel to other injustices.

“At the end of the demonstration, there was another conversion, this one very quick: I asked a woman what she thought about abortion, pointing to my graphic sign. She said she knew all about it. I asked her if she thought abortion was wrong—and she replied ‘I do now.’”

Maaike Rosendal of the Abortion Awareness Project, Lethbridge, Alberta:

“Today’s ‘Choice’ Chain was calm but interactive, although we had to control our own emotions while teachers literally stopped students from seeing the truth. By standing in different locations, we were able to talk and provide information to many young people in front of Winston Churchill High School.

“One amazing encounter was with a grade twelve student, a young woman with a one year-old daughter. Her mother had kicked her out of the house for choosing life for her child. She said, ‘There are girls in my class who did have abortions and they have to live with that for the rest of their lives. Not that it was easy for me, I mean, I have to go to school, work, take care of my child, but it was the best choice I ever made.’ Not surprisingly, she felt strongly that all students needed to see the images and asked for pamphlets with contact information for pregnancy and post-abortion help to hand out to her peers. Please pray this message will be blessed.”

Francisco Gomez of the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, Calgary, Alberta:

“On October 5, 2011, I had the privilege of doing ‘Choice’ Chain on my birthday. We went to Jack James High School, and we could literally see how the photographic evidence of abortion impacted the students.

“As young people walked by the display, disgust at the reality of abortion was vivid on their faces. Hearts and minds were being changed right in front of us! We heard comments of disbelief, such as ‘That’s abortion? That’s disgusting!’

“One female student in particular approached us and after glancing at the pictures, emphatically exclaimed ‘If this is what abortion looks like, I am never having one!’

“Minutes later, a young man engaged us in brief conversation, took a pamphlet, and ran towards his friends yelling ‘Hey, abortion is bad! Look at this!’ They all leaned around the pamphlet and studied it together.  The students were horrified at what abortion does, and most of them appeared disturbed by the inherent injustice. Overall, I could never have asked for a better birthday gift than the response we got there that day!”

It is this generation of young Canadians who are going to EndtheKilling. Across the country, lives are being transformed by young people who are standing up for the pre-born. We will no longer accept the slaughter of one third of our generation. We are the survivors of 1988. We will not forget this. And we WILL end this injustice.