Pro-life action conference in Calgary draws more than 100 activists

Calgary, Canada, Nov 7, 2024 / 16:00 pm

More than 100 Canadian anti-abortion and anti-euthanasia activists have convened in Calgary for Cultivating a Culture of Life: A Pro-Life Action Conference.

Taking place at Bethel United Reform Church from Nov. 7–9, the summit co-hosted by the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) and the Alberta Life Issues Educational Society (ALIES) will feature plenary presentations, breakout sessions, and panel discussions.

Cameron Côté, the CCBR’s western outreach director who is leading two of the general assembly sittings, told The Catholic Register in Canada that the time is ripe for such a conference to capitalize on the growing interest in pro-life engagement both CCBR and ALIES officials are observing at work.

“We struck upon an all-in-one opportunity for people to learn more about the different opportunities within Canada’s pro-life movement that they can get involved [in], whether in the educational arm or politics or counseling,” Côté said.

Newcomers are one of the target audiences. The other group the organizers hope to engage are activists seeking to reenter the arena after becoming inactive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An opening banquet will launch the conference on Nov. 7. Keynote speaker Jonathon Van Maren, the communications director for the CCBR, is expected to provide an overview of the cultural and historical figures and events that have resulted in Canada’s dubious status as a nation embracing a culture of death. He will also examine the promising opportunities the pro-life movement could pursue in this contemporary landscape.

Côté begins the first full day of the symposium with a session that will see him advise groups on developing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goals and evaluate if certain campaigns or programs are delivering a solid return on investment. He will also close the Nov. 8 schedule with a workshop on how to change hearts and minds about abortion.

Association for Reformed Political Action executive director Mike Schouten, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition executive director Alex Schadenberg, and former ALIES executive director Gabrielle Johnson are also guiding plenary sessions. Schouten is providing instruction on how to build effective relationships with politicians; Schadenberg will discuss how to win the assisted-suicide debate; and Johnson will offer insight on how to reach abortion-minded women.

In addition to the headliners, Côté said there is an impressive roster of pro-life advocates guiding breakout sessions. He highlighted Dr. Ted Fenske, a cardiologist and fellow for medicine and public Christianity at the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity who teaches at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

“He’ll be speaking about the abortion pill regime and the increased access and preference towards the abortion pill in Canada and other abortive patient birth control,” Côté said. “I think this is important because as the abortion pill becomes more prevalent in Canadian society, we need to know not only the risks involved with performing someone’s abortion in their home and delivering their child in their own home.”

Jeff Thompson, an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel in Langley, British Columbia, is another speaker Côté said he is enthused to hear from. Thompson developed the chapel into a Love Life House of Refuge church as he mobilized his congregation to help women in crisis pregnancies choose life and heal from an abortion procedure.

“He has taken leadership at a church level,” Côté said. “I find that the churches, whether Catholic or otherwise, have often struggled to embrace a distinct pro-life ministry within their church. Many people will contribute to external pro-life ministries. I know this is a major function for groups like the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Women’s League. However, I think Pastor Thompson has done a great job, helped by a number of other ministries, [creating something] distinct.”

This article was first published by The Catholic Register in Canada and is reprinted here with permission.