>> BE NOT AFRAID OF BEING IN THE
MINORITY.
BE NOT AFRAID OF BEING
OSTRACIZED OR DISCRIMINATED
AGAINST BECAUSE YOU WILL FACE
OPPOSITION.
>> ABORTION DOES NOT HELP WOMEN.
JUST LIVES DESTROYED BY
ABORTION.
SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SUPPORTING WOMEN, IT'S NOT
HAVING THEM KILL THEIR OWN
BABIES.
>> RIGHT NOW THERE'S A YOUNG
WOMAN ON HER WAY TO AN ABORTION
CLINIC.
BY THE TIME THAT YOUNG WOMAN
HEARD MY STORY, SHE CHOSE LIFE
FOR HER LITTLE GIRL, AND IT WAS
THE WORDS "I REGRET MY
ABORTION."
>> SO PEOPLE ARE DYING FROM
COVID-19, PEOPLE ARE DYING FROM
ALL KINDS OF AILMENTS, BUT
WE'RE KILLING BABIES IN THE
WOMB.
>> I HAVE BEEN READING IN THE
DATA THERE'S A LOT OF DOCTORS
DOING EUTHANASIA, SAYING WE HAVE
TO OPEN UP THE RULES EVEN MORE
BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING REQUESTS
FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING FEAR
OF COVID-19.
>> OUR CONSCIOUS IS THE HEART OF
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND EVERY
GOOD DECISION.
>> WE'RE WILLING TO PUT
OURSELVES OUT THERE BUT WE
ACTUALLY CAN'T DO OUR BEST JOB,
SERVE OUR PATIENT'S BEST
INTEREST, IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR
CONSCIOUS.
>> MR. TRUDEAU, HE IS THE MOST
PRO ABORTION PRIME MINISTER WE
HAVE EVER HAD.
HE SEEMS TO THRIVE ON EVERYTHING
AND ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH
TEARING DOWN TRADITIONAL FAMILY
AND MORALS.
>> BE NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR
THE TRUTH BECAUSE IT IS
ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT AND THAT'S
WHAT GIVES LIFE MEANING IS
DEFENDING THOSE WHO ARE WEEK AND
VULNERABLE.
BE NOT AFRAID OF BEING
COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO STAND FOR
THOSE WHO HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO
STAND FOR THEM.
[MUSIC]
>> Doug Keck: HELLO AND WELCOME
TO "BE NOT AFRAID," EWTN
CANADIAN PRO-LIFE SPECIAL 2020.
I'M YOUR HOST DOUG KECK.
EWTN, WITH OUR REACH OF 145
COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES,
INCLUDING CANADA, WORKS HARD TO
SPREAD THE PRO-LIFE MESSAGE.
EACH YEAR WE'RE PROUD TO BRING
YOU THE WALK FOR LIFE FROM
WASHINGTON, D.C., FROM SAVANNAH,
ONE LIFE LA AND FOR THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS OF THE NATIONAL
MARCH FOR LIFE FROM OTTAWA,
CANADA.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK OUT
OUTLINE ALL OF OUR PRO-LIFE
RESOURCES GO TO
WWW.EWTN.COM/PRO-LIFE.
YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW TO VIEW
EWTN IN YOUR AREA, CLICK ON THE
TV AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE AND
THE CHANNEL FINDER YOU CAN WATCH
US ON THE INTERNET ON YOUTUBE,
OUR APP AND ON OUR VIDEO ON
DEMAND CHANNEL AND DON'T FORGET
TO CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND
TWITTER.
UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC WE HAD TO
POSTPONE OUR EWTN FAMILY
CELEBRATION THIS YEAR, WHICH WE
WERE HOLDING IN TORONTO BUT STAY
TUNED, FOR THOSE IN CANADA FOR A
NEW DATE IN 2021.
WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING THAT SOON
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING
YOU THEN.
TODAY IS MAY 14, THE DAY OF
INFAMY IN CANADA, IN WHICH
PARLIAMENT DECIDED TO REMOVE
LEGAL PROTECTION FOR THE UNBORN
CHILD.
THE YEAR WAS 1969 -- 51 YEARS OF
ABORTION ON DEMAND IN CANADA HAS
RESULTED IN MORE THAN 4 MILLION
ABORTIONS.
NOW, FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS,
CONCERNED CANADIANS HAVE MARK
THUS DAY BY GATHERING IN THE
NATION'S CAPITAL FOR THE ANNUAL
MARCH FOR LIFE.
AND EWTN HAS BEEN VERY PLEASED
TO COVER THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT
FOR MANY, MANY YEARS NOW.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND
GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS
ORGANIZERS HAD TO CANCEL THE
MARCH IN OTTAWA.
INSTEAD THEY HAVE TAKEN THE
MARCH FOR LIFE ONLINE FOR AN
ENTIRE WEEK OF EVENTS INCLUDING
THIS PRO-LIFE SPECIAL HERE ON
EWTN CANADA.
"BE NOT AFRAID" THIS IS IT THE
THEME OF THIS YEAR'S MARCH WITH
CANADA HAVING THE DUBIOUS
STATEMENT OF BEING THE MOST
ABORTIONS IN THE WORLD.
JOINING ME TODAY IS A NUMBER OF
OUR CHAMPIONS FROM THE PRO-LIFE
MOVEMENT IN CANADA JOINING US
FOR THE PROGRAM.
MANY OF YOU WILL BE FAMILIAR
WITH OUR FIRST PANELISTS'
FEATURED ON MANY PROGRAMS,
CANADA'S MOST RECOGNIZABLE
EXPORT IN THE DEFENSE OF LIFE.
SHE HAS GIVEN ALMOST 1,000
PRO-LIFE PRESENTATIONS ACROSS
NORTH AMERICA AND AROUND THE
WORLD AND RECENTLY WAS A
PRESENTER AT TALKS AT GOOGLE
SPEAKING ON ABORTION AT GOOGLE
HEADQUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA.
STEPHANIE'S MINISTRY, LOVE
UNLEASHES LIFE, WELCOME
STEPHANIE GRAY.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
>> GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> OUR NEXT PANELIST IS NO
STRANGER TO EWTN.
HE'S A FILM MAKER AND
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER ON ALL
THINGS FAITH AND FAMILY.
HIS RECENT FILM IS VULNERABLE,
THE INNOCENCE DECEPTION.
VERY POPULAR.
AND FATAL FLAWS VERY POPULAR.
SCREENED INTERNATIONALLY AND
CHANGED DISCOURSE AROUND THE
SUBJECT AND BEEN FEATURED ON
EWTN LIVE AND OUR GOOD FRIEND
AND EMCEE AT THE EVENT IS KEVIN
DUNN.
GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU DOUG.
>> AND REPRESENTING CAMPAIGN FOR
LIFE COALITION IS MATTHEW
WOJCIECHOWSKI AND SOMEWHAT A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND SPEAKER
AND OVERSEES CLC'S EFFORTS AT
THE UNITED NATION.
THAT MUST BE A TOUGH JOB.
HE AND HIS WIFE JUST HAD THEIR
FOURTH SON.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME,
MATT, TO THE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME DOUG.
>> SO LET'S GET EACH OF YOURS
TAKE ON THIS YEAR'S THEME: "BE
NOT AFRAID."
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE THEME AS IT
RELATES TO YOUR VARIOUS
MINISTRIES?
FIRST UP, STEPHANIE?
>> SURE, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
WHAT IS FEAR, FEAR IS AN EMOTION
THAT IS A NEGATIVE EMOTION THAT
CAN CAUSE US TO DO THINGS WE
SHOULDN'T DO OR NOT DO THINGS
THAT WE SHOULD DO.
AND AS IT RELATES TO THE
ABORTION ISSUE, UNFORTUNATELY
BECAUSE A WOMAN IN A CRISIS
PREGNANCY MAY BE AFRAID, SHE MAY
END THE LIFE OF HER CHILD.
BECAUSE A PHYSICIAN OR ANOTHER
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IS AFRAID
OF HOW THEIR COLLEAGUES OR THE
MEDICAL BODIES WILL REACT TO
PRO-LIFE DECISIONS THEY MAKE,
THEY MAY REFUSE TO ACT IN A
PRO-LIFE MANNER.
SO WE NEED TO BE NOT AFRAID.
HOW?
WE TRUST THAT THERE IS A POWER
LARGER THAN US, STRONGER THAN
US, THAT CAN WORK ALL THINGS FOR
GOOD.
AND WHEN WE THINK THIS IS
IMPOSSIBLE, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT
WILL WORK OUT, GOD HIMSELF CAN
TURN ALL THINGS FOR GOOD AND SO
WHAT WE NEED IS TO HAVE LOVE.
AND PERFECT LOVE AS THE
SCRIPTURE SAYS, CAST OUT ALL
FEAR.
SO WE NEED TO TRUST BECAUSE GOD
LOVES US, HE WILL MAKE A PATH AS
MOSES LED THE ISRAELITES THROUGH
THE RED SEA AND PARTED THE
WATERS, GOD WILL MAKE A PATH.
IF WE BELIEVE IN THAT THEN WE
SHOULD BE NOT AFRAID.
>> Doug Keck: VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.
MATT, YOUR TAKE?
>> A FEW AGO WHEN WE WERE
DISCUSSING THE THEME AND WHAT
THEME WE WOULD GO WITH, WE
WANTED CANADIANS TO KNOW AS
PRO-LIFERS WE'RE ALL IN THIS
TOGETHER AND IT'S BECOMING
INCREASINGLY HARDER AND HARDER
TO SPEAK THE TRUTH WITH A
CAPITAL T IN TODAY'S CULTURE.
THERE'S A CULTURE OF FEAR, OF
BEING REJECTED, STIGMATIZED AND,
WORSE, PERSECUTED.
CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN PERSECUTED
SINCE THE BEGINNING AND CONTINUE
TO BE PERSECUTED ALL AROUND THE
WORLD.
I THINK THE WORDS "BE NOT
AFRAID" ARE WORDS THAT HELP US
LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL OF LIFE.
THEY'RE WORDS OF HOPE AND
COURAGE.
AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT
WE'VE GOT THIS.
TURN TO GOD FOR COURAGE.
IF WE REMAIN FAITHFUL, HE WILL
TAKE CARE OF THE REST.
>> VERY GOOD.
AND FINALLY, KEVIN, YOUR
THOUGHTS?
>> MAN, ARE WE LIVING IN TIMES
OF PERCEIVED FEAR, YOU KNOW,
WITH THIS PANDEMIC.
BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, ON BOTH
SIDES -- MY MINISTRY FOCUSES ON
BECOMING A PROPHET OF HOPE IN
THESE TIMES BECAUSE WE NEED THIS
DESIRE TO GO OUT AND BE PROFITS
OF HOPE AND LOSE THAT SENSE OF
FEAR.
BECAUSE WHETHER ON THE ABORTION
END THE SCALE OR EUTHANASIA, WE
HAVE GOT THIS CULTURE OF
ABANDONMENT, ABANDONMENT OF THE
CHILD, ABANDONMENT OF A WOMAN IN
CRISIS PREGNANCIES; AND DOWN
HERE ON THE EUTHANASIA END, WE
HAVE ABANDONMENT.
INDIVIDUAL AND ABANDONMENT OF
OURSELVES.
WE NEED REACH OUT TO THOSE
PEOPLE TO BE NOT AFRAID TO REACH
OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES
WHO NEED IT, BECOME A PROPHET OF
HOPE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE
AROUND US.
BE NOT AFRAID.
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS PICKING UP THE
PHONE AND CALLING SOMEONE THAT
NEEDS IT.
>> FROM ST. JOHN PAUL II, YOU
HEAR "BE NOT AFRAID."
I THINK MATTHEW HAS HIS PICTURE
BEHIND HIM ON THE WALL THERE, SO
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY
TO MOTHER ANGELICA AND THE
MISSION OF EWTN.
YOU KNOW, KEVIN, IF YOU WOULD,
PUT THAT FILMMAKER HAT OF YOURS
THAT YOU KEEP BACK THERE FOR
TODAY'S PROGRAM.
EUTHANASIA YOU BROUGHT SOME
INTERVIEWS THAT YOU SEE PRE-SHOT
FOR THE PROGRAM.
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US AN IDEA
WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
>> NORMALLY WE WOULD BE ON THE
HILL, AS YOU MENTIONED, WITH THE
GREAT HELP OF EWTN, WHO HAS BEEN
SO STALL BART AND FAITHFUL TO
PRO-LIFE CANADA IN BRINGINGS
THIS SPECIAL EVERY YEAR,
NORMALLY WE WOULD BE ON THE HILL
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE FOR FOUR OR
FIVE HOURS AND THESE ARE
WONDERFUL PRO-LIFE STALWART
CHAMPIONS BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT
THIS YEAR.
SO WE THOUGHT, IN CONJUNCTION
WITH YOU GOOD FOLKS THAILAND SIT
DOWN WITH A FEW KEY CHAMPIONS.
PRO-LIFE CAUSE OUTSIDE OF THE
ONES HERE ON THE PANEL TODAY AND
ASK THEM PERMITS ON -- ASK THEIR
PERSPECTIVES ON THE VARIOUS
ISSUES.
JEFF GUNNARSON IS TALK TO TALK
ABOUT THE POLITICS OF ABORTION,
VERY INTERESTING IN THE PANDEMIC
THAT WE HAVE.
AND LAURA KLASSEN, MAKING
INTERNATIONAL WAYS IN CHANGING
HEARTS AND MINDS.
AND ANGELINA STEENSTRA FROM
SILENT NO MORE AWARENESS, THE
POWER OF SHARING OUR BROKENNESS
AS A WAY OF HEALING THOSE OUT
THERE WHO ARE SUFFERING WITH THE
EFFECTS OF ABORTION.
AND JOSIE LUETKE, CAMPAIGN IS
CAMPAIGN LIFE COALITION YOUTH
COORDINATOR AND CHANGING MINDS
WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND ALES SCHADENBERG FROM THE
PREVENTION COALITION, THE
EUTHANASIA PREVENTION COALITION
AND ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS IS
MEDICAL AID AND DYING AND THE
EXPANSION OF THOSE LAWS.
AND LASTLY, DR. RAMONA COELHO,
AND DR. RAMONA IS A FAMILY
PHYSICIAN, AND SHE IS RIGHT UP
THERE SPEAKING ABOUT CONSCIOUS
RIGHTS WHICH ARE A HUGE ISSUE
HERE AND IN CANADA, ESPECIALLY
IN ONTARIO WHERE CONSCIOUS
RIGHTS, THE ABILITY FOR DOCTORS
TO USE THEIR CONSCIOUS WHEN IT
COMES TO PEOPLE ASKING FOR
EUTHANASIA OR ABORTION AND
HAVING TO REFER OR RISK LOSING
THEIR LICENSE.
SO MANY GREAT TOPICS, MANY GREAT
PEOPLE TO SPEAK WITH TODAY.
>> SOUNDS GOOD.
LET'S GET TO IT AND GET TO OUR
FIRST TOPIC.
BEING COURAGEOUS IN THE FIGHT
REQUIRES DIGGING INTO THE ISSUE
ON A WORLDLY LEVEL.
IN CANADA.
POLITICS OF ABORTION CAN BE FELT
AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT.
IN THIS SEGMENT OUR OWN KEVIN
DUNN TALKS WITH CAMPAIGN LIFE
COALITION PRESIDENT JEFF
GUNNARSON AS HE LOOKS AT THE
POLITICS OF ABORTION.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
>> SO, JEFF, HERE WE ARE IN THE
MIDST OF THIS CRAZY PANDEMIC
WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ESSENTIAL
SERVICES ARE THE ONLY THING, AND
YET I UNDERSTAND IN ONTARIO AT
LEAST, ABORTION IS CONSIDERED AN
ESSENTIAL SERVICE.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?
>> WIDE OPEN ACROSS THE NATION
AS FAR AS WE KNOW.
OF COURSE IT'S JUST ABSURD.
IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU HOW
DEEP THE ABORTION MENTALITY IS
IN CANADA AND THAT SOMEHOW THE
KILLING OF PREBORN CHILDREN IN
THEIR MOTHER'S WOMBS TRUMPS ANY
PANDEMIC.
>> I THINK IF YOU TOOK A MIC OUT
ON THE STREET AND SAID DO YOU
KNOW THEY'RE STILL ALLOWING
ABORTIONS TO GO ON DURING THIS
PANDEMIC AND YOU -- ESPECIALLY
IF YOU MET A SENIOR ON THE
STREET AND SAID I HAD TO PUT OFF
MY HIP SURGERY FOR MONTHS OR
HEART SURGERY FOR THREE, SIX
MONTHS, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE
DIED IN CANADA WAITING FOR HEART
SURGERY?
I HEARD IT THE OTHER DAY, LIKE
25 OR SO?
AND THAT COULD BE JUST ONTARIO
FOR ALL I KNOW.
SO PEOPLE ARE DYING FROM
COVID-19, PEOPLE ARE DYING FROM
ALL KINDS OF AILMENTS, BUT WE'RE
KILLING BABIES IN THE WOMB WHILE
ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE MARCH EVERY
YEAR.
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHETHER THERE'S A PANDEMIC OR
NOT.
IF YOU'RE KILLING BABIES IN THE
WOMB, SOMETHING'S WRONG.
WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO WITNESS
TO THAT.
>> IS IT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED?
WHY SUCH A DRIVE, EVEN DURING
ALL OF THESE CRAZY TIMES, WE
STILL SEE MONEY GOING OVERSEAS,
WE STILL SEE VERY PRO ABORTIVE
ETHOS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND YOU'RE ON THE FRONT LINES OF
THIS.
YOU MUST SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING
AND WHAT'S BEING DONE TO KIND OF
THWART THAT.
>> IT JUST DEFIES ALL LOGIC.
PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU IS -- YOU
KNOW, HE IS THE MOST
PRO-ABORTION PRIME MINISTER
WE'VE EVER HAD.
HE SEEMS TO THRIVE ON EVERYTHING
AND ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH
TEARING DOWN TRADITIONAL FAMILY
AND MORALS.
>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S
POLITICAL.
IT'S JUST EVIL.
>> WILL WE EVER SEE A PRO-LIFE
PRIME MINISTER IN THIS COUNTRY?
>> YES, WE WILL HAVE A PRO-LIFE
PRIME MINISTER IN THIS COUNTRY
SOME DAY.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE ARE
PERSONA NON GRATA IN PROVINCIAL
AND FEDERAL PARTIES.
THE FEDERAL PARTY HAS BEEN EDICT
THAT NO PRO-LIFE CAN RUN FOR THE
PARTY.
THAT WAS OUT ON THE EVE OF THE
MARCH FOR PRO-LIFE TWO OR THREE
YEARS AGO.
BUT WE HAVE IN THE PARTY
CURRENTLY -- WE HAVE IN THE
CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA
APPROXIMATELY 60 PERCENT WHO ARE
LEANING TOWARDS PRO-LIFE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE 100%
PRO-LIFE, BUT THEY WOULD LIKE TO
SEE SOME RESTRICTION ON
ABORTION.
THERE'S A GOOD CORE OF
CONSERVATIVE PARTY MEMBERS WHO
WANT TO RESTRICT ABORTION PERIOD
AT ALL COSTS FOR ALL REASONS.
>> SO WHY IS IT SO HARD IF WE
HAVE THIS MAJORITY?
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I WAS HOPING YOU WEREN'T GOING
TO ASK IT.
BUT WE STILL HAVE -- AS MUCH AS
THE GRASSROOTS NEED TO ENGAGE,
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THE
GRASSROOTS TO ENGAGE AND THAT WE
NEED TO DID YOU BELIEVE OUR
NUMBERS -- WE NEED TO DID YOU
BELIEVE OUR NUMBERS AND WE HAVE
TO LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PARTY.
WE CALL IT OFTEN THE ELITES OF
THE PARTY.
AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE A
LOT OF INFLUENCE.
AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE
AFRAID FOR SOME REASON: THEY
THINK A PRO-LIFE SOCIALLY CURVE
ACTIVE CAN'T WIN AN ELECTION.
IT'S NONSENSE.
OUR CANDIDATES ARE JUST LIKE YOU
AND I -- PRO-LIFE, PRO FAMILY,
TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE,
CHURCH-GOING PEOPLE, ARE
WELL-ROUNDED AND MAKE EXCELLENT
POLITICIANS.
THEY MAKE EXCELLENT VOLUNTEERS
FOR POLITICIANS, AND WE ALSO DO
MOST OF THE DONATIONS, DONATING
FOR THE PARTY.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH
HAVING A PRO-LIFE, PRO
TRADITIONAL FAMILY LEADER
RUNNING FOR ELECTION TO RUN FOR
THE PRIME MINISTER OFFICE.
NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
AND CANADIANS HAVE NO PROBLEM
WITH THAT.
IT'S HOW IT IS PORTRAYED.
HOW DO YOU SHOW YOUR ALLEGIANCE
TO THE CANADIAN VOTERS?
AND, SURE, IF YOU'RE REALLY
CRANKY AND YOU'RE SPEWING ALL
KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE VERY
CONTROVERSIAL, THE MEDIA -- IF
THE MEDIA DON'T LIKE IT THEY'RE
GOING TO JUMP ALL OVER IT AND
ACCUSE YOU OF ALL KINDS OF
THINGS, AND THEN THE HIGHER-UPS
START TO GET NERVOUS AND THINK
OH, GEE MAYBE WE SHOULD PULL
THAT CANDIDATE AND MAYBE WE
SHOULD TELL HIM OR HER TO SHUT
UP.
THE FACT IS, A GOOD,
WELL-ROUNDED PRO-LIFE CANDIDATE
CAN MAKE IT AS A PRIME MINISTER
IN THIS COUNTRY NO PROBLEM.
[ VIDEO CONCLUDES ]
>> SO, MATT, DOES JEFF PAINT A
REALISTIC PICTURE IN YOUR MIND?
>> YES, HE'S MY BOSS.
BUT IT'S CLEARLY AN UPHILL
BATTLE IN CANADA.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.
BUT THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT IN
CANADA AT ITS CORP IS A
GRASSROOTS LED MOVEMENT THAT
DOES NOT GIVE UP.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR
INTERNAL NUMBERS, AND WE HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED IN ELECTIONS AND
NOMINATIONS ALMOST 40 YEARS,
MORE THAN 40 YEARS, AND WE KNOW
THAT PRO-LIFERS ARE THE MOST
ENGAGED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS
OUT OF MORE THAN ANY OTHER
VOTING BLOCK.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO BECOME PARTY
MEMBERS AND DONATE AND VOLUNTEER
ON CAMPAIGNS AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY THEY ALWAYS SHOW UP
TO VOTE.
BUT IN ORDER TO EARN OUR VOTE,
CANDIDATES REAL NEED TO SPEAK
CONVICTION ON THE LIFE AND
FAMILY ISSUES.
SO CANADIANS ARE HUNGRY FOR A
LEADER THAT WILL REPRESENT
TRADITIONAL VALUES AND STAND UP
FOR LIFE.
AND I WOULD JUST CLOSE ON THIS.
A FORMER LIBERAL MP, MEMBER OF
PARLIAMENT, ONCE TOLD ME IF
PRO-LIFERS DON'T GET INVOLVED IN
THE POLITICAL PROCESS THEN WE
ALLOW THOSE WHO DO GET INVOLVED
MAKE ALL THE DECISION IT.
PRIZERS NEED TO REMAIN ENGAGED
AND IN POLITICS MOST OF THE
BATTLE IS JUST SHOWING UP.
>> WELL, SAID.
STEPHANIE NOW IN YOUR CASE YOU
HAVE BEEN AT THIS QUITE A WHILE
FROM YOUR DAYS AT THE CANADIAN
CENTER FOR ETHICAL REFORM TO
SPEAKING INTERNATIONALLY.
COULD SOMEONE LIKE A STEPHANIE
GRAY RUN FOR OFFICE, AND WHAT
WOULD BE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO
SOMEONE DOING THAT IN CANADA?
>> I THINK SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN
THE ACTIVIST STYLE I HAVE COULD
SUCCESSFULLY RUN BUT A COUPLE OF
THINGS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT TO
CONSIDER.
FIRST THEY NEED TO RUN IN AN
AREA WHERE THEY'RE MORE LIKELY
TO SUCCEED IN BEING ELECTED.
SECONDLY, THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY A
TEAM OF PEOPLE AND A PARTY THAT
WILL SUPPORT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, SPEAKING
TRUTH IS GOING TO RESULT IN A
LOT OF RESISTANCE AND IF YOU
HAVE TO FIGHT INTERNALLY AND
HAVE TO FIGHT EXTERNALLY YOU
WILL EXHAUST YOURSELF SO IT'S
IMPORTANT WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO HAVE THE COURAGE YOU HAVE
THEIR CONVICTIONS AND RUN TO BE
REPRESENTS IN SOCIETY AS PUBLIC
REPRESENTS IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THEY BE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO
SUPPORT THEM IN BEING THE MOST
WIN SO MANY, ARTICULATE AND
PERSUASIVE REPRESENTS THEY CAN
BE SO THAT THEY CAN THEN TAKE ON
THE CULTURE AS A TEAM.
>> SPEAKING OF WOMEN, KEVIN YOUR
NEXT INTERVIEW IS WITH SOMEONE
WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT
WOMEN REALLY NEED WHEN IT COMES
TO THE ABORTION ISSUE.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT?
>> AND LAURA KLASSEN, AN
ACTIVIST AND ALSO AN ACTOR.
SHE'S AN ACTRESS, AND SHE DOES
AN AMAZING JOB OF CREATING THESE
VIRAL VIDEOS.
MANY OF YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR
WITH THE MAGICAL BIRTH CANAL ONE
WHICH WAS THE ONE THAT TOOK
ON -- HAD A REAL BABY BEING HELD
UP WITH THIS IMAGINARY BIRTH
CANAL, AND NOT A BABY, NOT A
BABY?
REAL BABY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS --
IT WAS AN AMAZING KIND OF
FASCICLE LOOK BUT ONE THAT
REALLY, REALLY TOOK HOLD, AND IT
WAS VIEWED MILLIONS OF MILLIONS
OF TIMES ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
HE IS INCREDIBLE AND NOT ONLY
MAKES THESE VIDEOS BUT IS OUT
THERE ON THE FRONT LINES.
>> GREAT.
LET'S HERE WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.
[ VIDEO ]
>> THIS WOMAN IN THE UK, BECAUSE
NOW WE HAVE A WORLDWIDE REACH.
WE HAVE BEEN HELPING WOMEN ALL
OVER THE WORLD WHICH IS NEAT
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT.
AND SHE WAS RAPED AND HAD
CONSIDERED ABORTION, BUT THEN
DECIDED AGAINST IT.
AND SO WE WERE HELPING HER LOOK
FOR ADOPTION INFORMATION BECAUSE
THAT'S -- YOU KNOW SHE THOUGHT
THAT SHE WOULD PLATES THE BABY
WITHIN AN ADOPTIVE FAMILY AND
REALLY HAD MY EYES OPEN AS TO
HOW CRAZY THE ADOPTION SYSTEM IS
IN THE UK.
THAT ASIDE, THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS SHE CAME TO THE DECISION
SHE WAS GOING TO KEEP HER BABY.
AND SO -- BUT SHE DIDN'T HAVE
ANYTHING.
HER FAMILY WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF
HER HAVING A CHILD OUT OF RAPE.
THEY BASICALLY CUT HER OFF SO
SHE WAS ALL BY HERSELF.
AND SO WE MADE HER A REGISTRY
AND POSTED IT, AND IT GOT --
BOUGHT UP LIKE THAT.
AND SHE HAD HER BABY A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AGO JUST BEFORE THIS LOCK
DOWN.
SHE HAD A C-SECTION.
AND THEN THE COOL THING ABOUT --
WHEN WE CONNECT WITH WOMEN AND
MAYBE THEM THESE REGISTRIES
THAT'S NOT THE END.
LIKE WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ALL
OF THEM.
WE HAVE SUPPORT GROUPS.
SO THROUGHOUT THE LOCK-DOWN, WE
HEARD FROM HER THAT HER WASHING
MACHINE HAD BROKEN, AND SO, YOU
KNOW, SHE HAD JUST HAD A
C-SECTION AND IS ALL ALONE IN
HER APARTMENT WITH A NEWBORN AND
WE THOUGHT SHE SHOULDN'T BE HAND
WASHING HER CLOTHING AND SINCE
WE'RE PRO BIRTH WHAT CAN WE DO
TO HELP HER AND WE SET UP A GO
FUND ME FOR A WASHING MACHINE
AND PEOPLE FUNDED IT AND IT'S
INSTALLED AND SHE HAS HER
WASHING MACHINE THERE SO IT'S
NEAT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP
WOMEN, WHATEVER THEY NEED, YEAH.
>> WOULD YOU SAY THAT -- WHAT
ARE THESE -- WHAT ARE THE REAL
NEEDS OF THE WOMEN YOU
ENCOUNTER?
IS IT AS SIMPLE AS -- IS IT THIS
SIMPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT?
YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT REALLY
COME TOWN WHEN IT COMES TO WHEN
YOU ENCOUNTER THESE WOMEN?
WHAT ARE THE NEEDS?
>> I THINK IT'S NUMBER ONE GOD.
NUMBER TWO, THE TRUTH.
THEY'RE NOT -- IN THIS DAY AND
AGE THEY'RE NOT BEING TOLD
ABORTION IS WRONG AND THAT IT IS
MURDER AND THAT -- YOU KNOW ALL
OF THE TRUTH ABOUT IT.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT BEING TOLD
THAT.
THAT'S HUGE.
AND THEN SUPPORT.
THE ACTUAL REAL PRACTICAL
SUPPORT OF GETTING THEM STUFF
AND ALSO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO
SAY, LAURA, YOU'RE TOO
HARD-CORE.
YOU'RE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT
ABORTION IS MURDER, ABORTION IS
MURDER -- YOU HAVE TO SOFTEN
YOUR APPROACH.
ARE THERE PEOPLE OUT THERE SAY
THAT TO YOU FIRST OF ALL?
>> YEP.
ALL THE TIME.
>> AND WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?
>> OH, I GET MESSAGES ABOUT THAT
EVERY DAY, A LOT OF THEM I THINK
THAT'S HOW I USED TO DO THINGS.
WHEN I STARTED CHOICE FOR TWO
THAT'S HOW I THOUGHT, THAT'S HOW
YOU DO THE PRO-LIFE THING.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE
OUTWARDLY -- OBVIOUSLY ANTI
ABORTION.
YOU'RE ALMOST GOING TO LIKE,
COME IF THERE AND COME ALONGSIDE
THEM AND HERE ARE YOUR THREE
OPTIONS AND I'M GOING TO START
OF PUSH YOU AWAY FROM THE
ABORTION OPTION BUT ACTUALLY NOT
SAY IT'S BAD OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT.
BUT I WAS NOT SEEING THE RESULTS
I WANTED FROM THAT.
WOMEN WERE STILL GOING OFF AND
HAVING ABORTIONS BECAUSE I
WASN'T STRAIGHT UP SAYING IT'S
MURDER, LET'S NOT BE DOING THIS.
SO I HAVE COMPLETELY SWITCHED ON
HOW I TALK ABOUT ABORTION AND TO
WOMEN, AND THE RESULTS ARE GOOD.
THE RESULTS ARE AMAZING.
MOST OF THE WOMEN THAT WE'RE
TALKING TO ARE CANCELLING THEIR
ABORTION APPOINTMENTS.
SO IF THAT WASN'T HAPPENING AND
I WASN'T SEEING THAT, THEN I
WOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT I'M
DOING; RIGHT?
BUT I'M SEEING THE RESULTS AND
I'M GETTING THE BABY PICTURES SO
I KNOW THIS IS WORKING.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE ARM CHAIRS
QUARTERBACKS, MAYBE SOMEBODY WHO
IS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRISIS
PREGNANCY THAT ARE JUST SEEING
WHAT YOU'RE DOING ONLINE AND
THEY'RE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO
YOUR VIEW.
HAVE YOU SEEN A SHIFT IN
ATTITUDE WITH, SAY, THE GENERAL
PUBLIC?
>> OH, YEAH, IT'S BEEN REALLY
NEAT.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU SAW I
POSTED A PICTURE A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AGO ABOUT WOMAN WHO
PRIVATELY MESSAGED ME AND SHE IS
SOMEONE WHO IS VERY INVOLVED IN
THE PRO-CHOICE MOVEMENT.
FOR YEARS SHE HAS BEEN A CLINIC
ESCORT, SHE HAS BEEN ON TV, SHE
HAS LED RALLIES FOR ABORTION
RIGHTS.
LIKE SOMEONE REALLY UP THERE.
AND SHE MESSAGED ME SAYING,
"I'VE DONE A 180.
I'M NOW AGAINST ABORTION."
SHE HAS COME TO SEE THE TRUTH.
HE IS ALSO BECAME A CHRISTIAN.
AND SHE WROTE ME A WHOLE MESSAGE
ABOUT HER STORY.
AND I SAID WHY DON'T I POST IT
ANONYMOUSLY SO YOU CAN SEE THE
RESPONSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET
FROM OUR SIDE OF THE MOVEMENT.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE MET WITH
LOVE AND MET WITH WELCOMING
ARMS.
SHE WAS LIKE, OKAY.
SHE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT WOULD
HAPPEN.
POSTED IT.
TONS OF MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, YOU'RE
DOING GREAT, THANK YOU.
>> AND SHE WROTE ME BACK SAYING
SHE'S NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF
LOVE FROM THE PRO CHOICE
MOVEMENT, SHE'S NEVER
EXPERIENCED THAT.
AND I SAID OF COURSE YOU
HAVEN'T.
YOUR WHOLE MOVEMENT IS BASED ON
KILLING PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT VERY LOVING.
SO IN SHE COMES OUT WITH HER
STORY PUBLICLY THAT'S GOING TO
BE AN AMAZING TESTIMONY.
>> THERE MIGHT BE PEOPLE
WATCHING TODAY WHO ARE UNDECIDED
OR ARE MAYBE OPPOSED TO WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT THIS
ISN'T SUPPORTING WOMEN, WE
SHOULD BE SUPPORTING WOMEN BY
GIVING THEM CHOICE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
>> WELL, CHOICE -- I MEAN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT KILLING PEOPLE.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE A CHOICE.
ALSO ABORTION DOES NOT HELP
WOMEN.
THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS
THAT WE DO IS WE CONNECT WITH
POST ABORTIVE WOMEN WHO ARE
SUICIDAL, SELF HARMING,
ALCOHOLICS, DRUG ADDICTS, JUST
LIVES DESTROYED BY ABORTION.
SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SUPPORTING WOMEN, IT'S NOT
HAVING THEM KILL THEIR OWN
BABIES.
IT'S THEM TO CHOOSE LIFE AND
MOVE ON FROM THERE.
[ VIDEO CONCLUDES ]
>> WOW.
STEPHANIE, IS HONESTY THE BEST
TACTIC WHEN DEALING WITH WOMEN
IN CRISIS IN YOUR EXPERIENCE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HONESTY INVOLVES THE TRUTH AND
WE KNOW THE TRUTH WILL SET
PEOPLE FREE.
I THINK LAURA HAS MADE A
POWERFUL STATEMENT WHEN SHE
TALKS ABOUT.FRUITS AND WE WILL
KNOW BY THE FRUITS OF SOMETHING.
AND BY SPEAKING TRUTH AND LOVE,
BY CERTAINLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT
ABORTION IS AND THEN WALKING
ALONGSIDE THAT WOMAN IN CRISIS
AS SHE DOES SO BEAUTIFULLY WITH
HER OUTREACH, IS PROOF THAT IT
IS POSSIBLE TO WIN HEARTS AS
WELL AS WIN MINDS.
I THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE
SISTERS OF LIFE WHO JOURNEY WITH
WOMEN THROUGH UNPLANNED
PREGNANCIES AND THEY HAVE OFTEN
SAY WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT AN
UNPLANNED PREGNANCY, PARENTING
IS AN OPTION.
AND THEY DESCRIBE IT BEAUTIFULLY
AND TALK ABOUT ADOPTION AS AN
OPTION AND DESCRIBE IT
BEAUTIFULLY.
AND THEY WILL MAKE THE POINT,
SOME PEOPLE SAY ABORTION IS A
THIRD OPTION AND THEY EXPLAIN
WHY IT'S NOT A VALID OPTION, WHY
IT ISN'T REALLY A THIRD OPTION
AND I THINK THAT IS THE WAY TO
GO.
WE SHOULD NOT MAKE ABORTION
SOUND LUKE IT IS EQUAL TO
PARENTING OR ADOPTION, WHEN WE
KNOW IT ISN'T BECAUSE IT
DISMEMBERS, DECAPITATES AND
DISEMBOWELS THE BODY OF A BABY.
THAT IS NEVER A VALID OPTION.
>> RIGHT.
WELL, PUT.
NOW, IN YOUR CASE, MATT, YOU
HAVE SEEN THE LOT OF ADVOCACY
GROUPS COME AND GO OVER THE
YEARS.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT CHOICE 42
AND LAWYER'S CHOICE IN YOUR
OPINION.
>> WHAT I LOVE ABOUT LAURA'S
MINISTRY IS THAT SHE MEETS WOMEN
WHERE THEY'RE AT.
FIRST SHE OFFERS THE TRUTH FIRST
AND FOREMOST, UNAPOLOGETICALLY
AND THEN SHE HELPS THEM BY
MOBILIZING PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD WHO COME TO THE WOMAN'S
RESCUE.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A 2.0 VERSION
OF SIDEWALK COUNSELING.
WHEN GOD WILLING A DAY COMES
WHEN LAWS ARE CHANGED AND THERE
IS A LAW AT THAT TIME PRODUCTS
ALL HUMAN LIFE FROM THE TIME OF
CONCEPTION UNTIL NATURAL DEATH,
WOMEN WILL STILL FIND THEMSELVES
IN CRISIS, WITH CRISIS
PREGNANCIES.
THEY WILL STILL BE FORCED TO
HAVE ABORTIONS AND COERSED TO DO
SO BY THEIR BOYFRIENDS OR
HUSBANDS OR WHATNOT, AND I THINK
WHAT CHOICE 42 IS DOING AND
PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO DO IS
REMOVE THAT CRISIS ELEMENT FROM
THESE PREGNANCIES BY OFFERING
SUPPORT, BRINGING TOGETHER
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO
HELP OUT.
IT IS TRULY A PRO-LIFE, PRO
WOMAN AND PRO CHILD MINISTRY.
>> SPEAKING OF LOVE, KEVIN AS A
MEDIA PERSON, THE VIRAL VIDEOS
SHE HAS PUT TOGETHER MUST BE
RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY.
>> WELL, YEAH, I GUESS SO.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
WE SHARE THESE STORIES ONLINE.
PEOPLE REALLY COME TO A DEEPER
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THESE ISSUES
ARE ABOUT BECAUSE WE HEAR SO
MUCH FROM THE MEDIA, AND SO MUCH
FROM ONE SIDE THAT WE NEVER
REALLY GET A CHANCE TO HEAR --
WE NEVER GET A CHANCE TO HEAR
THE TRUTH, AND THAT'S WHY
PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IS WHY
LAURA'S WORK IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN RIGHT
NOW, I THINK, TO SHARING OUR
BROKENNESS.
TO CHERYL THESE STORIES ONLINE,
YOU KNOW.
THIS NEXT CLIP THAT I BROUGHT
WITH ME IS FROM ANGELINA
STEENSTRA.
AND ANGELINA IS WITH SILENT NO
MORE AWARENESS.
SHE SHARES HER STORY OF ABORTION
AND THE EFFECTS, THE LIFELONG
EFFECTS OF ABORTION, AND SHE'S
BEEN DOING THIS FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS, AND THE HEARTS THAT HAVE
BEEN CHANGED BY HER STORY ARE
NUMEROUS.
AND SO SHE'S GOING TO TELL US
HER STORY IN THIS NEXT CLIP.
>> WHY DON'T WE JUST GO RIGHT
AWAY AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT
CLIP.
[ VIDEO ]
>> WELL, AT THE TENDER AGE OF
15, I UNDERWENT A SURGICAL
ABORTION THAT ENDED THE LIFE OF
MY FIRST CHILD WHO WAS
APPROXIMATELY 10, 11, 12 WEEKS
GESTATION.
SO IT'S A VERY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE FOR ME, THE REGRET OF
ABORTION.
AND NOT JUST -- FIRST THE REGRET
OF THE LOSS OF MY FIRST CHILD
WHO I WOULD RARITY COME TO NAME
SARAH ELIZABETH BUT ALSO THE
LOSS OF MY FERTILITY AND
SUBSEQUENT TO THE LOSS THROUGH
ABORTION, I LOST A CHILD THROUGH
AN ATOPIC PREGNANCY AND THEN I
LOST MY FERTILITY AS WELL.
>> ANGELINA, THIS IS TRULY A
GIFT FOR PEOPLE WHO HEAR THIS
WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS STORY
BEFORE.
OR THIS SIDE OF IT, THE WHOLE
REGRET SIDE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO A PARTICULAR
STORY OR A PERSON THAT YOU HAVE
SPOKEN TO OVER THE YEARS THAT
HAS KIND OF MADE YOU FEEL THAT,
YES, WHAT I'M DOING IS VERY
IMPORTANT, SPEAKING THIS STORY,
SPEAKING THIS PART OF MY LIFE.
>> WELL, IMMEDIATELY WHAT COMES
TO MIND IS ONE MORNING I WAS
SPEAKING AT A SCHOOL IN TORONTO,
AND A YOUNG MAN WAS IN THE CLASS
THAT MORNING WHO HAD BEEN ABSENT
FOR A WEEK, AND HE HAPPENED TO
BE BACK AT SCHOOL.
AND AFTER I SHARED MY TESTIMONY,
HE WENT TO THE TEACHER WHO HAD
MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO BE
THERE AND SAID, "RIGHT NOW,
THERE IS A YOUNG WOMAN ON HER
WAY TOE AN ABORTION CLINIC
DOWNTOWN."
AND THE TEACHER SAID TO ME,
"WHAT SHOULD I TELL HIM?"
I SAID, "JUST TELL HER NOT TO DO
IT."
SO HE PROMPTLY CALLED HER.
SHE GOT OFF THE SUBWAY.
THEY MET.
AND BY 3:30 THAT AFTERNOON,
BECAUSE OF ANOTHER WOMAN WHO WAS
ALSO AT THE SCHOOL THAT DAY,
DEBBIE FISHER WHO IS WITH SILENT
NO MORE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, BY
THE TIME THAT YOUNG WOMAN HEARD
MY STORY AND DEBBIE'S STORY, SHE
CHOSE LIFE FOR HER LITTLE GIRL.
AND A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER OR
YEAR LATER SHE WAS AT THE MARCH
FOR LIFE HOLDING HER BABY.
AND IT WAS THE WORDS "I REGRET
MY ABORTION."
>> WOW.
>> AND THAT YOUNG MAN, WHEN HE
SPOKE TO HER ON THE PHONE SAID
THEY REGRET IT.
AND SHE SAID, WHY?
AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED HER TO
GET OFF THE SUBWAY TO COME AND
HEAR WHY WE REGRET OUR ABORTION.
>> YOUR SHARING BROKENNESS,
SHARING BROKENNESS, WHICH YOU
HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO SO
BRAVELY IS A WORK THAT SILENT NO
MORE AWARENESS IS REALLY ALL
ABOUT.
I MEAN, EVERY YEAR -- AND THIS
YEAR EXCLUDED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT
ON THE HILL -- SO MANY
INCREDIBLE STORIES SHARED FROM
BRAVE YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN,
TURNING HEARTS AND TURNING
LIVES.
BRIEFLY, TELL US ABOUT THE
EFFECTS OF THE STORIES BEING
TOLD ON YOUNG PEOPLE.
>> WELL, THAT BRINGS TO MIND AN
OCCASION -- ANOTHER OCCASION I
WAS AT A CONFERENCE AND A YOUNG
PERSON -- WE WERE HAVING LUNCH
PRIOR TO THE CONFERENCE
BEGINNING, AND I SAT WITH THIS
PERSON AND SHE SAID I HEARD YE
YOU IN GRADE NINE.
SHE WAS NOW AT UNIVERSITY AND
SHE WAS PART OF THE EXECUTIVE OF
THE PRO-LIFE CLUB AT HER
UNIVERSITY.
SO HER -- AND SHE SAID IF SHE
HAD NOT HEARD THE STORY OF MY
EXPERIENCE OF ABORTION, THE ROOT
THAT TOOK ME TOWARD, TOWARD
DEATH, AND THEN MY TURN AROUND
TOWARD LIFE AND THAT SO MUCH
GOOD HAS COME OUT OF TELLING THE
TRUTH, GOING THROUGH THE JOURNEY
OF HEALING, SHARING THAT WITH
OTHERS, WALKING WITH OTHERS TO
GO THROUGH IT, SHE SAID IF SHE
HASN'T HEARD THAT STORY SHE
PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN
THE PATH SHE HAD CHOSEN.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF
HOW SOMETHING THAT WAS INTENDED
OR SOMETHING THAT WAS, QUOTE,
BAD, TURNED AROUND WITH THE
GRACE OF GOD CAN BE USED FOR
GOOD.
[ VIDEO CONCLUDES ]
>> SO, STEPHANIE, WHAT DO YOU
THINK ABOUT THAT POWERFUL STORY
ANGELINA TOLD AND ABOUT HER
WORK?
AND IS IT FAIR TO SAY ABORTION
HURTS WOMEN?
>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY FAIR TO SAY
THAT.
I ACTUALLY KNOW ANGELINA
PERSONALLY AND I CONSIDER ONE OF
THE MOST INSPIRING WOMEN THAT I
KNOW.
SHE HAS A DEEPLY HUMBLED HEART,
A LOVE FOR THE LORD, AND REALLY
WHAT SHE IS A LIVING WITNESS OF
IS THAT GOD MAKES ALL THINGS
NEW, AS WE HEAR IN THE BOOK OF
REVELATION, THAT HE WILL TAKE
OUR SIN, HE WILL TAKE THE MESS
WE CREATE AND HE SEE CAN REDEEM
IT.
HE CAN TRANSFORM IT AND I THINK
THAT NEEDS TO BE THE TAKE AWAY
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS HAD AN
ABORTION AND REGRETS IT IS TO
REALIZE GOD FORGIVES YOU AND
TRANSFORMS YOU, AND HE WANTS TO
USE EVEN THE TERRIBLE THING
YOU'VE DONE AND DRAW GOOD FROM
IT.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE TERRIBLE
THING GOOD BUT IT MAKES GOD
GREAT.
AND IT MEANS HE CAN BRING GOOD
FROM THE BAD CHOICES WE HAVE
MADE AS ANGELINA ARTICULATED SO
POWERFULLY.
>> IN YOUR CASE, MATT, YOU HAVE
PROBABLY HEARD A LOT OF SILENT
NO MORE TESTIMONIALS OVER THE
YEARS ON THE HILL.
WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE DO YOU GET
FROM THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE
HILL AND HEAR THESE BRAVE WOMEN
SPEAK OUT, AND ALSO THE MEN?
>> DEFINITELY.
THE WAY THE MARCH IS SET UP,
USUALLY, WHEN WE DO HAVE A
PHYSICAL MARCH, THERE'S A RALLY
TO MARCH, PEOPLE MARCH THROUGH
THE DOWNTOWN STREETS OF OTTAWA
AND RETURN TO PARLIAMENT HILL
WHERE THE MEN AND WOMEN SPEND
ABOUT AN HOUR GIVING THEIR
WITNESSES.
I REMEMBER ONE YEAR -- JUST A
QUICK STORY -- I WAS ABOUT A
BLOCK OR TWO AWAY FROM THE
STAGE.
I WAS TRYING TO PUT OUT SOME
BEHIND THE SCENES FIRES AND AT
THAT POINT I HEARD THE VOICE OF
A WOMAN WHO WAS SPEAKING AND
SHARING HER TESTIMONY.
FIRST OF ALL I THOUGHT OF TWO
THINGS.
ONE, THANK GOD FOR THAT
TECHNICIAN THAT BLASTED THE
SPEAKERS SO EVERYONE IN DOWNTOWN
OTTAWA COULD HEAR THAT MESSAGE.
AND, TWO, I LOOKED AROUND AND I
SAW PEOPLE STOPPED, PEOPLE ON
THEIR LUNCH BREAK IN THE CITY,
PEOPLE WALKING TO WORK, RUNNING
ERRANDS THAT WOULD STOP AND
LISTEN TO THIS VOICE OF THE
WOMAN SHARING HER DEEP REGRET
AND HER SOUL AND ALSO THE
JOURNEY OF HEALING, THE JOURNEY
OF GOD'S LOVE AND MERCY AND
HER -- AND THE FORGIVENESS THAT
SHE WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE.
SO JUST LOOKING AT THOSE PEOPLE,
I THOUGHT, THIS MESSAGE, WE MUST
BELIEVE THIS MESSAGE WILL TOUCH
THE HEARTS OF THESE PEOPLE.
>> RIGHT.
AND HER STORY UNDERSCORES THE
POWERFUL TESTIMONIES THAT YOU
MENTION CAN GIVE TO PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE.
KEVIN, EACH YEAR ARE WE SEEING
MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE COME
TO THE MARCH?
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, YOUNG
PEOPLE -- CAN I CALL US YOUNG
PEOPLE?
YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY WON'T BE
DUPED ANYMORE.
AND I HAVE INTERVIEWED MANY OF
THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND AT
THE MARCH AND THEY JUST WILL NOT
BE DUPED ANYMORE INTO BELIEVING
BECAUSE THEY -- THEY UNDERSTAND
THE SCIENCE.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE FALSE NEWS.
AND THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THE
SCIENCE.
AND WITH THESE WOMEN AND MEN,
WHEN THEY GET UP AND SHARE THEIR
BROKENNESS, SHARE THEIR STORIES,
IT SPEAKS RIGHT TO THE HEART OF
MY OWN DEAR WIFE WHO SHARED HER
STORY ON THE HILL.
ABOUT MEETING UP WITH HER BIRTH
SON OF 35 YEARS.
AND THIS WAS STORY SHE AND I
KNEW FOR MANY YEARS OF COURSE AS
HUSBAND AND WIFE BUT SHE CAME TO
THE MOMENT WHERE SHE NEEDED TO
SHARE IT AND IT BECAME SUCH A
HEALING, HEALING MOMENT.
SO HEALING THAT SHE ENDED UP
MEETING HER SON 35 YEARS LATER,
HER BIRTH SON WHO I CONSIDER MY
OWN SON, PATRICK NOW, AND YOU
KNOW, IT'S -- IN SHARING THESE
STORIES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
COMING TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT
ABORTION AND ABOUT ALL LIFE
ISSUES.
JOSIE LUETKE FROM CAMPAIGN LIFE
COALITION WHO HAS DONE A LOT OF
WORK ON CAMPUS AND STREET
MINISTRY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SIT DOWN WITH HER AND CHAT
ABOUT HER WORK AND HOW THESE
STORIES ARE AFFECTING YUCK
PEOPLE IN CANADA.
>> GOOD.
LET'S GO RIGHT TO THAT THEN.
[ VIDEO ]
>> SO YOU'RE NOT ONLY YOUTH
COORDINATOR FOR CAMPAIGN LIFE
COALITION BUT YOU HAVE HAD A LOT
OF HANDS-ON WORK WITH YOUR TIME
AT UNIVERSITY.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US MAYBE AN
EXPERIENCE DURING YOUR PRO-LIFE
WORK AT UNIVERSITY?
>> YES.
ONE TIME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST COME TO SPEAK
ON CAMPUS AND UNFORTUNATELY WE
FACED A LOT OF ROADBLOCKS IN
HAVING HER COME SPEAK,
ROADBLOCKS THAT OTHER CLUBS
WOULDN'T FACE.
>> WHERE WERE THE ROADBLOCKS
COMING FROM?
>> FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND THE
STUDENT UNION UNFORTUNATELY AND
THEY JUST HAD A LOT OF LAST
MINUTE DEMANDS IN TERMS OF
PURCHASING SECURITY AND SO
FORTH, SO WE WENT AHEAD WITH THE
EVENT ANYWAY BUT WE WERE PUT ON
PROBATION AS A RESULT OF DOING
SO.
>> SO HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE
COME OUT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THE TYPING WAS UNFORTUNATE
BECAUSE THE UNIVERSITY ENDED UP
BEING CLOSED THAT DAY FOR
WEATHER RELATED REASONS BUT WE
DID HAVE 20 PEOPLE COME OUT FOR
IT DESPITE THE CLOSURE,
POTENTIALLY MORE, HAD THERE NOT
BEEN WEATHER ISSUES.
>> IS THERE FEAR OR WHAT IS
DRIVING THIS ANIMOSITY TOWARDS
PRO-LIFE GROUPS ON UNDER THE
CAMPUS?
>> I'M SURE SOME OF IT IS FEAR,
FEAR THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO
HAVE THE DEBATE, THEY DON'T WANT
TO REFLECT ON OUR CULTURE AND
WHAT IT WOULD MEAN IF A HUNDRED
THOUSAND INNOCENT HUMAN BEINGS
WERE BEING UNJUSTLY KILLED EVERY
YEAR AS IS THE CASE IN CANADA.
I THINK SOME OF IT IS JUST
HATRED, INTOLERANCE AND SO
FORTH, AND THIS IS NOT JUST THE
ABORTION ISSUE BUT A LOT OF
OTHER CONTROVERSIAL POLITICALLY
INCORRECT ISSUES THAT DON'T GET
DEBATED AT UNIVERSITY EVEN
THOUGH THAT'S THE EXACT LOCATION
WHERE THEY SHOULD BE DEBATED.
>> SO WHY BOTHER AT ALL?
WHY BOTHER AT ALL FOR YOU?
I MEAN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH
ALL OF THIS AND BEING CALLED
POLITICALLY INCORRECT AND ALL OF
THAT BUT AS SOMEBODY ON THE
UNIVERSITY, WHAT DRIVES YOU TO
DO THIS.
>> FOR THE BABIES.
FOR, YOU KNOW, THE ONE PERSON
WHO CHANGES THEIR MIND.
AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T HAPPEN
IMMEDIATELY.
THERE WAS THIS ONE GUY I HAD A
CONVERSATION WITH, DIDN'T THINK
MUCH OF.
AND THEN YEARS LATER, HE SHOWED
UP TO OUR CLUB MEETINGS BECAUSE
HE HAD BECOME PRO-LIFE.
SOMETIMES YOU'RE PLANTING A
PEBBLE IN SOMEONE'S SHOE AND
YOU'RE CHANGING THEIR MINDS AND
THAT MAKES IT WORTH IT.
>> YOU ARE ALSO SPENDING TIME ON
THE STREET DOING STREET
COUNSELING.
CAN YOU SHARE A STORY OR TWO OF
SOMEONE THAT CHANGED THEIR MIND
AND CAME TO AN UNDERSTANDING.
>> SAME SORT OF THING WHERE I
HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A GUY
AND HE SEEMED LIKE HE WAS A
MORAL RELATIVIST.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN.
>> MEANS HE DIDN'T THINK THERE
WERE ABSOLUTE RIGHTS AND WRONGS.
MAYBE HE WAS KIND OF
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ABORTION BUT
WASN'T GOING TO CONDEMN IT.
AND IT WAS THE SAME SORT OF
THING WHERE HE WALKED AWAY -- I
HAD GOTTEN HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND
I FOLLOWED UP WITH HIM AND HE
DIDN'T RESPOND TO ME
IMMEDIATELY, BUT THEN HE SAID
THAT HE'D READ SOME OF MY
COLUMNS THAT I WRITE FOR THE
ENTERS RUM NEWSPAPER AND THEN
CHANGED HIS MIND.
AND THAT WAS THAT.
SO AGAIN A LOT OF THESE
CONVERSATIONS HAPPENED ON THE
STREET WITH PEOPLE, IT'S VERY
RARE SOMEONE WILL CHANGE THEIR
MINDS RIGHT ON THAT OCCASION.
IT DOES HAPPEN.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE
INSTANCES WHERE YOU JUST GET
PEOPLE TO THINK A LITTLE BIT
MORE.
>> BE NOT AFRAID.
THAT'S THE THEME THAT THE MARCH
FOR LIFE HAS THIS YEAR.
YOU WERE PROBABLY PART OF THE
CONVERSATION THAT BROUGHT THAT
THEME FORWARD.
WHAT DOES BE NOT AFRAID MEAN TO
YOU?
AND WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE WOULD
YOU GIVE -- ESPECIALLY ON PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING.
>> UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR CULTURE,
A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT
PRO-LIFE.
SO TO THOSE WHO ARE, BE NOT
AFRAID OF BEING IN THE MINORITY.
BE NOT AFRAID OF BEING
OSTRACIZED OR DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST BECAUSE YOU WILL FACE
OPPOSITION.
BE NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR
THE TRUTH, BECAUSE IT IS
ABSOLUTELY WORTH AND IT THAT'S
WHAT GIVES LIFE MEANING IS
DEFENDING THOSE WHO ARE WEAK AND
VULNERABLE.
BE NOT AFRAID OF BEING
COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO STAND FOR
THOSE WHO HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO
STAND FOR THEM.
[ VIDEO CONCLUDES ]
>> WE'RE INSPIRED BY JOSIE AND,
STEPHANIE, I'M TOLD ALSO YOU
WERE ONE OF HER INSPIRATIONS.
THIS IS WHERE THINGS BEGAN FOR
YOU AS WELL AS A YOUNG ACTIVE
IT, I UNDERSTAND.
WHAT IS IT LIKE ON UNIVERSITY
CAMPUSES?
IT MUST BE TOUGH.
AND ON THE STREETS?
AND IS THIS WHERE WE HAVE TO BE.
>> IT IS CHALLENGING TO SPEAK
OUT ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.
A LOT OF MY PRO-LIFE ACTIVISM
WAS IN MY UNIVERSITY DAYS AT UBC
AND I FACED A TON OF CENSORSHIP
FROM MY UNIVERSITY, PHYSICAL
ATTACKS ON PRO-LIFE EXHIBITS WE
DID BY FELLOW STUDENTS, SO, LIKE
JOSIE WAS SAYING, WE NEED TO
NONETHELESS PRESS FORWARD.
WE NEED TO BE NOT AFRAID TO BE
PART OF THE MINORITY, KNOWING
THAT IN WE TAKE LEADERSHIP, THEN
EVENTUALLY WE WILL BECOME THE
MAJORITY BUT IT TAKES A FEW
COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUALS STEPPING
FORWARD.
SO WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO
ENGAGE -- ESPECIALLY ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES WHERE WE SEE WE'RE
DEALING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THAT
ARE FACING UNPLANNED PREGNANCY
SO THAT IS OUR TARGET AUDIENCE,
THAT IS THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS
SO WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO TAKE
THE HEAT ON OURSELVES IN ORDER
TO TURN UP THE TEMPERATURE AND
CHANGE SOCIETY.
>> RIGHT.
AND OF COURSE ON THOSE
SITUATIONS A LOT OF TIMES
PRO-LIFE SPEECH ISN'T ALLOWED
TOO MUCH.
MATT, JOSIE TOUCHED ON THE
FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN CAULIFLOWER
AND THE IMPACT THERE IS.
IS THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE STATES AS WELL?
>> YES.
DEFINITELY.
AND IN CANADA, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR
GOVERNMENT -- OUR LIBERAL PRO
ABORTION GOVERNMENT HAS IMPOSED
ATTESTATIONS TO STUDENTS AND
EMPLOYERS WHO WANT TO RECEIVE
JOB GRANT MONEY FOR THE SUMMER,
STUDENT JOBS FOR KIDS.
THEY ARE DENYING GRANTS AND
OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE ABORTION BUBBLE ZONES
WHICH ARE SWEEPING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
THESE ARE TOTALITARIAN LAWS
WHICH ARE NOT ANTI SPEECH;
THEY'RE ANTI PRO-LIFE SPEECH AND
THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM.
BECAUSE PRO ABORTION PEOPLE CAN
HANG OUT THERE AND DO WHATEVER
THEY WANT.
CENSORSHIP ON CAMPUSES IS, LIKE
STEPHANIE MENTIONED, IS STILL
ONGOING.
AND EVEN THERE'S A REFUSAL TO
HAVE AN HONEST DEBATE ON
ABORTION BY OUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS INSIDE OF CANADA'S
PARLIAMENT.
I LOVE POPE BENEDICT'S RECENT
COUNCILMEN TEAR WHERE HE TALKED
ABOUT THIS ANTI CHRISTIAN CREED
ACROSS THE WORLD.
IF YOU SPEAK OUT AGAINST
ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA YOU'RE
MET WITH A SOCIAL
EXCOMMUNICATION BY PEERS AND THE
MEDIA AND, SADLY ENOUGH, EVEN BY
SOME CLERGY WHO WOULD PREFER
THAT YOU JUST KEPT QUIET.
>> IT SOUNDS ALL TOO FAMILIAR.
AND KEVIN, JOSIE TALKED A GREAT
DEAL ABOUT THE FEAR OF STANDING
UP FOR LIFE.
IT WOULD SEEM FEAR IS ALSO
DRIVING YET ANOTHER THREAT TO
THE SANCTITY OF LIFE.
EUTHANASIA AND ASSISTED SUICIDE.
>> YEAH, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT
DO GET WORSE IN OUR DEAR BELOVED
COUNTRY, THE TRUE NORTH STRONG
AND FREE, BUT IN 2016 IT DID
WHEN THE SUPREME COURT
OVERTURNED THE LAW WHICH
CRIMINALIZED ASSISTED SUICIDE.
AND SENSE THEN WE HAVE HAD 13500
DEATHS DUE TO WHAT THEY CALL
MEDICAL AID IN DYING, AND LAST
YEAR IT KIND OF PEAKED IN JUNE.
5400 PEOPLE CHOSE, IF YOU WILL,
IF YOU CAN CALL IT CHOOSING,
ASSISTED DYING.
AND REALLY, WHEN LOOK AT THIS --
AND WE HAVE LOOKED APT THIS ALL
AROUND THE WORLD.
AND WE HAVE STUDIED IT WITH THE
EUTHANASIA PREVENTION COALITION
GIVING THESE NUMBERS AND PUTTING
THESE NUMBERS TOGETHER.
AND WHAT YOU FIND IS THE NUMBER
ONE REASON PEOPLE ARE ASKING IS
NOT BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL PAIN --
YES, THERE ARE TIMES YOU HAVE TO
GET THE MEDICATION RIGHT -- BUT
IT'S NOT PHYSICAL PAIN.
IT'S ACTUALLY FEAR OF FUTURE
SUFFERING THAT'S DRIVING THE
REQUEST.
IT'S FEAR OF BECOMING A BURDEN.
IT'S FEAR OF LOSING MY AUTONOMY.
IT'S FEAR, FEAR, FEAR.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE
HAVE TO OVERCOME THOSE FEARS AND
BECOME PROPHETS OF HOPE, AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE
PROGRAM.
>> OF COURSE, WE MENTIONED
EARLIER IN THE SHOW, YOU CREATED
TWO WONDERFUL FILMS ON THE
SUBJECT, AND BOTH HAVE PROUDLY
RUN ON EWTN.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT EACH ONE
OF THEM?
>> YEAH, VERY BRIEFLY, THE
"EUTHANASIA: DECEPTION
VULNERABLE" WAS A FILM -- WE
WENT TO BELGIUM AND IT REALLY
OPENED OUR EYES AS TO -- BECAUSE
IT REALLY IS GROUND ZERO,
BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS AS
TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO SOCIETY
OVER TIME WHEN THIS IDEOLOGY
GRABS HOLD AND TAKES ROOT.
AND 20 YEARS LATER, YOU SEE
ABORTION FOR CHILDREN, ABORTION
ON DEMAND, YOU SEE ALL SORTS
INCREMENTAL EXPANSIONS OF THE
LAW.
THEY SAY THERE'S NO SLIPPERY
SLOPE.
BUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IS
EXPANSION, AND THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED IN CANADA.
AND FATAL FLAWS LEGALIZING
ASSISTED DEATH IN CANADA AND THE
U.S., AND WE SPENT TIME IN
BELGIUM LOOKING AT THESE LAWS
AND WHAT YOU SEE ARE INCREMENTAL
EXPANSIONS.
YOU SEE FEAR DRIVING THE DEBATE
AND A RESISTANT TO SPEAKING
ABOUT THE TRUTH.
>> RIGHT.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE GO FROM THE
BUNNY HILL DOWNHILL QUICKLY ALL
OF A SUDDEN.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE
INTERVIEW THAT YOU DID WITH ALES
SCHADENBERG, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE EUTHANASIA
PREVENTION COALITION.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
>> SO ARE WE SEEING ABUSE IN
CANADA?
>> ABUSE OF THE LAW?
>> WE HAVE SEEN ABUSE OF THE
LAW.
OF COURSE WE HAVE SEEN QUITE A
BIT OF THAT BUT THE PROBLEM IS
THAT IT'S HARD TO GATHER AND
FIGURE OUT.
BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE A VERY HARD
TIME TALKING ABOUT IT.
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM
SOMEONE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, HIS
AUNT HAD DIED BY EUTHANASIA, AND
THERE WAS NO MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS.
SHE HAD HAD A DOWNTURN BUT SHE
ASKED FOR MEDICAL AID IN DYING.
ALL OF THAT IS TRUE.
SHE ASKED FOR EUTHANASIA AND
DIED BY EUTHANASIA WITHIN 3 DAYS
BECAUSE THE DOCTOR WAIVED THE
10-DAY WAITING PERIOD, AND YET
THERE WAS NO MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS.
SO WHEN THE NEPHEW WAS
CONTACTED, HE WAS ALL UPSET
WANTING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT.
WHEN WE ACTUALLY GOT DOWN DO
BRASS TACKS ABOUT TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT, HE SAID NO,
MY FAMILY IS PRETTY UPSET WITH
ME NOW.
MY FAMILY SAYS LET'S NOT TALK
ABOUT IT.
I HAVE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON ME.
AND YOU'RE GETTING THESE SORT OF
PHONE CALLS BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE
ISSUE OF, YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER
HAS DIED, MY AUNT HAS DIED,
DEATH HAS HAPPENED AND NOW -- I
DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT
ANYMORE.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT
SITUATION GETTING STORIES.
>> IN CANADA THEY WANT TO EXPAND
THE LAW, BILL B-7 I BELIEVE?
>> WHERE THE EXPANSION IDEA CAME
FROM WAS QUÉBEC COURT, AND IT
WASN'T THE HIGH COURT, BUT IT
HAD STRUCK DOWN NATURAL DEATH
MUST BE NATURALLY FORESEEABLE
WHICH IS PART OF THE LAW WHICH
THEY SAID TERMINABLE ILLNESS BUT
IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT AT ALL.
BY DOING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD
TO APPEAL THE DECISION AND THEY
DIDN'T.
SO THEREFORE THEY'RE AMENDING
THE LAW TO REFLECT THE COURT
DECISION N DOING SO, THEY
DECIDED TO DO OTHER THINGS, TOO,
AND DECIDED TO GET RID OF THE
QUOTE, QUOTE, WEIGHTING PERIOD.
THEY DECIDED TO ALSO ALLOW
EUTHANASIA FOR THOSE PREVIOUSLY
REQUESTED IT.
SO SOMEONE INCOMPETENT, SEA THEY
HAD ALZHEIMER'S OR A STROKE AND
CAN'T SAY YES OR NO TO
EUTHANASIA BUT PREVIOUSLY
REQUESTED IT, THEY WOULD THEN BE
ALLOWED TO HAVE EUTHANASIA UNDER
THE NEW LAW.
>> HOW QUICKLY COULD SOMETHING
LIKE THAT TAKE PLACE.
THEY HAVE IT THERE AND HAVE THE
DOCUMENT AND NOW THEY'RE IN THAT
SITUATION, HOW QUICKLY COULD
SOMEBODY MAKE THAT DECISION, A
DOCTOR OR A DOCTOR IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE FAMILY?
>> I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW
QUICK IT COULD HAPPEN.
THIS IS THE DIFFICULTY.
THEY MIGHT SAY WELL SHE HAS COME
TO THIS POINT IN HEALTH, SO
LET'S THIS WEEKEND DO IT?
AND THIS IS THE KIND OF THING
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE HAVING.
AND YOU HAVE SEEN THE CASE IN
THE NETHERLANDS WHERE THE WOMAN
HAD RESISTED.
THE WOMAN WHO HAD DEMENTIA.
SHE RESISTED.
THEY CAME TO DO EUTHANASIA AND
SHE RESISTED AND SAID, NO, NO,
AND THEY PUT THE SEDATIVE IN HER
COFFEE AND SHE CONTINUED TO
RESIST AND HAD THE FAMILY HOLD
HER DOWN AND SHE WAS INJECTED.
THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
>> WHAT HAPPENED?
DID THE DOCTOR GET --
>> WELL, THE CASE WAS PROSECUTED
AND WENT THROUGH THE COURTS AND
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE
WHERE THE SUPREME COURT SAID --
WHICH IS CRAZY -- THIS IS QUITE
CRAZY AND THIS IS MY FEAR FOR
WHERE WE'RE GOING HERE IN
CANADA -- IS THAT THE WOMAN WAS
INCAPABLE OF CHANGING HER MIND
WHICH IS TRUE.
SHE WAS INCOMPETENT AND SHE IS
NOT CAPABLE OF CONSENTING OR NOT
CONSENTING AND THE COURT SAID
BECAUSE SHE PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED
IT, THEREFORE SHE SAY INCAPABLE
OF NOT SAYING NO.
>> SO LET'S ZOOM OUT A LITTLE
BIT.
BEFORE COVID-19, BEFORE ALL OF
THIS WAS STUFF THAT'S GOT US
HERE IN THIS EMPTY CHURCH
PHYSICALLY DISTANCED, WE ALREADY
HAD A SITUATION OF LONELINESS.
>> RIGHT.
>> A PANDEMIC OF LONELINESS
WHICH WAS DRIVING THIS NEED, IF
YOU WILL, FOR A SELF CHOSEN
DEATH, AS THEY CALL IT.
>> WE HAVE THIS CULTURAL PROBLEM
ALREADY AND THIS IS ONE OF THE
REASONS THAT EUTHANASIA IS BEING
DRIVEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FEAR OF
SUFFERING BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A
CULTURAL LONELINESS EPIDEMIC.
UNDER COVID-19 WE SEE THIS AS
WORSE BECAUSE YOU'RE
INTENTIONALLY SEPARATING
FAMILIES.
WHAT MAKES IT FURTHER SADNESS
WITH THIS IS THAT YOU HAVE,
LET'S SAY, AN ELDERLY MOTHER WHO
DIED IN THE NURSING HOME AND NO
ONE WAS ABLE TO EVEN VISIT HER
IN HER DYING DAYS SO THIS IS
THEN A REAL SAD, HOPELESS
FEELING THAT'S GOING ON.
BUT I HAVE BEEN READING IN THE
DATA THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
DOCTORS DOING EUTHANASIA WHO ARE
SAYING OH, WE HAVE TO OPEN UP
THE RULES EVEN MORE BECAUSE
WE'RE GETTING ALL OF THESE
REQUESTS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE
HAVING FEAR OF COVID-19 AND THEY
WOULD LIKE EUTHANASIA.
>> THIS IS LEGITIMATE.
>> LEGITIMATE.
I WAS READING ABOUT THIS, FUNNY
ENOUGH, YESTERDAY, THAT YOU HAVE
EUTHANASIA DOCTORS TALKING ABOUT
THE LAW IS TOO STRICT, SO WE
HAVE PEOPLE DEMANDING OR
REQUESTED EUTHANASIA BECAUSE OF
THEIR SITUATION.
>> FEAR.
FEAR OF FUTURE --
>> WE HAD A CASE IN QUEBEC.
HE WAS NOT DYING YET BUT BECAUSE
THE COURT HAD GIVEN HIM THE
RIGHT TO EUTHANASIA, THE COURT
SAID BECAUSE YOU DON'T QUALIFY
UNDER THE LAW WE'RE GOING TO
GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO
EUTHANASIA, AS CRAZY AS THAT
MIGHT BE.
HE DECIDED TO ACCESS
EUTHANASIA -- IT WAS SEVERAL
WEEKS AGO EVEN THOUGH HE WASN'T
DYING BECAUSE HE SAID WITH
COVID-19 I HAVE NOTHING.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT YOU
WOULD SAY THAT'S JUST ONE
SITUATION.
WELL, I WAS JUST SAYING THESE
EUTHANASIA DOCTORS ARE SAYING
ONE OF THE REASONS TO EXPAND THE
LAW IS THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A
SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT
BEING ABLE TO GET THEIR MADE IN
THESE SITUATIONS OF HOPELESSNESS
BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU
LOOK AT IT, IT'S A CULTURAL
PHENOMENA THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT
WITH OF CULTURE ABANDONMENT AND
LONELINESS.
[ VIDEO CONCLUDES ]
>> SEEMS LIKE WE'RE IN A BRAVE
NEW WORLD.
NOW, STEPHANIE WHAT DO YOU THINK
IS REALLY DRIVING THIS ISSUE
NOW, THIS APPARENT QUOTE/UNQUOTE
NEED FOR ASSISTED DYING.
>> I THINK PEOPLE HAVE LOST
THEIR WILL TO LIVE BECAUSE THEY
HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY TAUGHT
HOW TO FIND MEANING IN THEIR
SUFFERING. WHEN IT COMES TO
THIS TOPIC I ALWAYS THINK OF THE
PROFOUND INSIGHT OF HOLOCAUST
SURVIVOR, DR. VICTOR FRANKL WHO
WROTE "MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING"
AND ONE OF THE THINGS DR. FRANKL
SAID IS THAT DESPAIR IS
SUFFERING WITHOUT MEANING,
DESPAIR IS SUFFERING WITHOUT
MEANING.
HIS POINT IS THAT SUFFERING IS A
PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
ALL OF US UNIVERSALLY WILL
EXPERIENCE SUFFERING.
BUT WHETHER OR NOT WE DESPAIR IN
LIGHT OF SUFFERING IS ENTIRELY
DEPENDENT ON WHETHER WE CAN FIND
MEANING.
NOT ONLY IN OUR SUFFERING BUT
PERHAPS EVEN BECAUSE OF IT.
DR. FRANKAL SITES AN EXAMPLE OF
A TEENAGER IN TEXAS WHO BECAME A
QUADRIPLEGIC, PARALYZED FROM THE
NECK DOWN AND COULDN'T MOVE HER
LIMBS.
SHE SAID LET ME TELL YOU HOW SHE
SPENDS HER DAYS.
SHE WATCHES THE NEWS, READS THE
NEWS AND LISTENS TO THE NEWS AND
WHENEVER SHE COMES ACROSS A
STORY OF SOMEONE GOING THROUGH
SUFFERING, HARDSHIP, PERHAPS A
NATURAL DISASTER AND LOST THEIR
HOME, WHATEVER THE ISSUE, SHE
CALLS FOR AN ASSISTANT TO COME
TO PUT A STICK IN HER MOUTH AND
THEN SHE USES THE STICK TO POUND
OUT LETTERS ON A KEYBOARD IN
ORDER TO COMPOSE NOTES OF
ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE PEOPLE SHE
READ ABOUT IN THE NEWS.
NOW THAT IS SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT
LOST HER WILL TO LIVE, THAT IS
SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ASKING FOR
ASSISTED SUICIDE, SOMEONE WHO IS
NOT DESPAIRING AND YET SHE'S
SUFFERING.
SO WHAT'S THE DETERMINING
FACTOR?
SHE FOUND MEANING.
SHE FOUND MEANING IN HER
SITUATION AND THAT HAS GIVEN HER
WILL TO LIVE AND WE NEED TO HELP
OTHERS DO THE SAME.
>> WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE
EWTN AND OUR METHODS TO GET
KNOWS STORIES OUT THAT NO ONE
WILL EVER HEAR IN THE SECULAR
MEDIA.
>> KEVIN, BC-7 WHAT DO THE
PROPOSED EXPANSIONS IMMEDIATE
FOR CANADA?
WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT?
>> THEY PROMISED US A REVIEW
AFTER FIVE YEARS.
NO REVIEW HAS TAKEN PLACE.
IN FACT, IT'S ALREADY GONE TO
THIS, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THE
INCREMENTAL EXPANSIONS OF THE
LAW THAT THIS BILL PROPOSES.
I'LL TRY AND MAKE IT -- THERE'S
LOTS OF WORDS BUT I'M GOING TO
TRY TO MAKE IT SIMPLE TO
UNDERSTAND IT.
BASICALLY ANYBODY -- IF THIS LAW
GOES THROUGH, IF THIS BILL GOES
THROUGH, ANYONE THAT CONSIDERS
THEIR PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL
SUFFERING TO BE INTOLERABLE, IF
YOU CONSIDER YOUR PHYSICAL OR
PSYCHOLOGICAL SUFFERING TO BE
INTOLERABLE TO QUALIFY, YOU
QUALIFY FOR DEATH BY LETHAL
INJECTION.
EVEN IF EFFECTIVE MEDICAL
TREATMENT EXISTS SO PEOPLE WHO
NEED TREATMENT AND CARE DON'T
GET IT.
THEY GET DEATH.
IT'S CRAZY.
IT ALLOWS SUICIDE FOR ANYONE
WITH A DISABILITY.
THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
IT REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT.
LAW THAT A PERSON'S NATURAL
DEATH BE REASONABLY FORESEEABLE
WHICH WAS ALREADY VAGUE TO BEGIN
WITH IT PERMIT'S DOCTOR OR IN
YOUR OPINION TO LETHALLY INJECT
A PERSON EVEN IF THEY'RE
INCAPABLE OF APPROVING BECAUSE
THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
SO KILL ME LATER EVEN IF I DON'T
WANT IT LATER.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE PERSON WHERE
THE PERSON WAS RESISTING AND THE
FAMILY HELD HER DOWN AND THEY
INJECTED -- AND THE SUPREME
COURT SAID -- HOW -- YOU KNOW,
IT'S OKAY.
SO MUCH THIS AND WHAT I CALL THE
"KILL ME ON A BAD DAY" CAUSE AND
THEY'RE TAKING AWAY THE 10 DAY
WAITING PERIOD.
IF YOU MAKE A DECISION YOU WANT
ASSISTED DEATH, THEY HAVE TO
WAIT.
SOMEBODY COULD GET IT THE SAME
DAY IF THEY'RE HAVING A BAD DAY.
YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU
GET SOME WHO GET IT NOW BECAUSE
OF THEIR TERMINAL ILLNESS BUT IF
YOU DON'T HAVE A TERMINAL
ILLNESS WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND
THAT WAITING PERIOD TO A LONGER
TIME.
SO IT'S A VERY, VERY VAGUE.
BASICALLY IT WAVES THE 10 DAY
PERIOD WHEN SOMEONE IS DEEMED
ZERO TO BE TERMINABLY ILL.
THEREFORE A PERSON -- AND AS
SOMEBODY NOT TERMINABLY ILL THEY
HAVE TO WAIT 90 DAYS.
IT'S CRAZY.
THE LAST ONE -- AND IT'S
DECEPTIVE BECAUSE THEY SAY IT'S
NOT FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL
ILLNESS, BUT IT REALLY IS.
IT FALSELY CLAIMS IT.
I WILL QUOTE IT HERE.
THE EUTHANASIA LAW PERMITS MADE
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY
AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY SUFFERING
THAT IS INTOLERABLE TO THE
PERSON AND THAT CANNOT BE
RELIEVED IN A WAY THE PERSON
CONSIDERS ACCEPTABLE.
MENTAL ILLNESS, WHICH IS NOT
DEFINED IN THE LAW, IS A FORM OF
PHYSICAL SUFFERING.
SO YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS
AND THE LOGGED THE COALITION FOR
TAKING IT AND BREAK BEING IT
DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH
VERY DANGEROUS BILLS AND LAWS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AS THE FATHER OF AN AUTISTIC
CHILD I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S
PRETTY SCARY LANGUAGE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE'S THE
NOTION ABOUT CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTORS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD
ABOUT THEY MUST REFER THEIR
PATIENTS TO CONSENTING DOCTORS
IS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE HISTORY
OF MEDICINE.
SO NOW, KEVIN, YOU HAD A CHANCE
TO SIT DOWN WITH DR. RAMONA
COELHO, RIGHT, A FAMILY
PHYSICIAN TO DISCUSS THIS
MATTER.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT I'M
ABLE TO HAVE AND WHAT THE ISSUE
IS.
[ VIDEO ]
>> SO RAMONA, YOU'RE A FAMILY
PHYSICIAN.
I THINK A LOT OF VIEWERS WOULD
PROBABLY BE FLABBERGASTED TO
HEAR WHAT ONTARIO DOCTORS HAVE
TO FACE WHEN IT COMES TO
CONSCIOUS RIGHTS ON USING THEIR
CONSCIOUS TO MAKE DECISIONS ON
LIFE OR DEATH ISSUES SUCH AS
EUTHANASIA OR WHAT WE CALL
MEDICAL AID IN DYING.
IS IT AS BAD AS THEY SAY?
>> IT IS AS BAD AS THEY SAY.
OUR REGULATORY BODY, THE COLLEGE
OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF
ONTARIO, DECIDED BEFORE
EUTHANASIA WAS LEGALIZED IN
2016, THEY CHANGED THEIR HUMAN
RIGHTS POLICY AND THEY SAID FOR
ANY CONSCIOUS OBJECTOR WHO FEELS
THEIR SERVICE IS NOT A GOOD
SERVICE, THEY MUST PARTICIPATE
BY WAY OF REFERRAL.
TO MAKE THAT UNDERSTANDABLE, IF
A PATIENT CAME TO ME THAT HAD A
DRUG PROBLEM, LIKE NARCOTICS AND
ASKED FOR MORPHINE RENEWAL, I
WOULD SAY NO.
IF I SAID, NO, I DON'T THINK
THIS IS GOOD FOR YOU, BUT JOE,
DOWN THE ROAD, GIVES EVERYONE
NARCOTICS AND I WILL SEND YOU
THERE AND ARRANGE THE
APPOINTMENT FOR YOU, EVERYBODY
IS SAY THAT'S BEING A BAD
DOCTOR.
BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE
COLLEGE IS ASKING US TO DO FOR
MEDICAL AID AND DYING.
THEY'RE ASKING US TO SAY I DON'T
THINK THIS IS GOOD FOR YOU, BUT
I WILL SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR
THIS TO HAPPEN FOR YOU
REGARDLESS OF MY FEELINGS ABOUT
THIS SERVICE.
>> THAT SEEMS SO LIKE AN
ANTITHESIS TO -- I HARKEN BACK
TO HIPPOCRATES WHO I SAY GAVE OF
GIVE US THE BEST SAFEGUARD AT
ALL.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO ASK FOR
POISON, EUTHANASIA, SHE WOULD
SAY, NO, THAT WAS THE
ORIGINAL -- I WILL GIVE NO
POISON.
YET IT SEEMS WE FLIP 180 TODAY.
>> THAT'S THE THING.
SOCIETY'S CULTURES, THEY CAN
MAKE MISTAKES IN THEIR THINGS
AND HAVING THAT PLURALITY IN
DUALITY IN FREEDOM TO PRACTICE
THEIR THINGS IS INTEGRAL TO
MEDICINE ALWAYS SERVING THE
GOOD.
SO LIKE HIPPOCRATES, HIS OATH
WAS CREATED IN A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE DID GIVE PEOPLE POISONS
TO DIE.
I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO OFFER YOU
EXCEPT DEATH AND THAT MUST BE
BETTER THAN THIS.
AND HE SAID, NO.
AND OUR WHOLE TRADITION IS BUILT
ON THE BEAUTIFUL KIND OF
NON-ABANDONMENT.
THIS IS NOT THE END FOR YOU.
WE WILL FIND A CREATIVE SOLUTION
FOR YOU AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
LOOK.
AND OUR ASSET HAS DECIDED
THAT -- WELL, OUR
LEGALIZATION -- I WOULDN'T SAY
OUR SOCIETY, BUT OUR GOVERNMENT
HAS DECRIMINALIZED EUTHANASIA,
AND THE THINGS HAVE -- THE
ETHICS HAVE CHANGED OF SOME
PEOPLE.
AND TO DO THAT AND TRUMP THE
BELIEFS IN SOME WAY IS CRAZY
ACTUALLY.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PEOPLE
WHO SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE AGAINST IT
AND OTHER DOCTORS ARE OKAY WITH
IT OR NEUTRAL ON IT AND JUST
REFER.
LIKE REFER TO ANOTHER DOCTOR,
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WIPE YOUR HANDS
CLEAN IF YOU WILL.
>> SO I WOULD SAY WHEN THE NEXT
PATIENT COMES TO ME, ALWAYS
VULNERABLE, THERE'S ALWAYS A
POWER IMBALANCE.
I'M THE ONE WHO KIND OF HAS THE
SOLUTIONS TO OFFER.
BUT THERE'S THIS KIND OF
RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST WHERE
THEY'RE VULNERABLE BUT THEY'RE
TRUSTING ME TO ONLY OFFER THEM
THE GOOD.
WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO GO SEE
YOUR DOCTOR AND, YOU KNOW,
ENTERTAIN THE THOUGHT IF THEY
DIDN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR
SAFETY, THEY DIDN'T REALLY CARE
ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT A HORRIBLE
THOUGHT.
OUR RELATIONSHIP IS BUILT ON
TRUST THAT I AM ALWAYS GOING TO
LOOK FOR THE BEST SOLUTION FOR
YOU.
SO HOW COULD I SAY TO SOMEBODY,
GO BACK TO THE DRUG ADDICT WHO
COMES TO ME WHO WANTS THEIR
NARCOTICS?
THIS IS SOMETHING I DEAL WITH
ALL THE TIME.
AND IF I SAID TO THEM I HAVE
SOMETHING BETTER.
THERE'S AN ADDICTION COUNSELOR I
CAN SEND YOU TO.
THERE'S A CENTER OF REHAB I CAN
CONNECT YOU WITH, THERE ARE
MEDICATIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU
WITH YOUR CRAVINGS AND HE SAID
TO ME, NO, I WANT MY DRUGS.
AND I SAY FINE, I CONCEDE, I
WILL ARRANGE FOR YOU TO GET YOUR
DRUGS -- NO ONE WOULD THINK THAT
WAS GOOD.
NO ONE WOULD THINK THAT IS GOOD
IF THEY THOUGHT IT THROUGH AND
IT'S THE SAME WITH MEDICAL AID
AND DYING.
>> SO AS A DOCTOR YOU PUT LIFE
ON THE LINE EVERY DAY FOR
PATIENTS AND EVEN DURING
COVID-19 EVEN MORE SO, OF COURSE
WITH PROTECTIVE GEAR AND THE
APPROPRIATE MEASURES BE IT YOU
PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY
DAY.
AND YET IT SEEMS TO BE A BIT OF
A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS WHEN IT
COMES TO CONSCIOUS RIGHTS WHEN
THINK SAY YOU DON'T HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR OWN
CONSCIOUS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS
LIFE-GIVING MEASURE, WHEN IT
COMES TO MEDICAL AID AND DYING.
>> IT'S A FUNNY THING.
I WOULD SAY -- MY HUSBAND IS A
SURGEON, I'M A FAMILY DOCTOR.
WE DEFINITELY ARE SEEING PEOPLE
NOW.
BUT WE'RE SEEING THEM WILLINGLY.
I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF MY
PATIENTS.
I'M CONCERNED POUR THEM DURING
THIS PANDEMIC.
I WANT THEM TO BE SAFE.
BUT I WOULD SAY, FOR THE
GOVERNMENT TO UNDERSTAND, WE'RE
PILLING TO PUT OURSELVES OUT
THERE BUT WE ACTUALLY CAN'T DO
OUR BEST JOB -- WE ACTUALLY
CANNOT SERVE OUR PATIENTS' BEST
INTERESTS IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR
CONSCIOUS.
OUR CONSCIOUS IS THE HEART OF
EVERYTHING WE TO AND EVERY GOOD
DECISION, THEY WILL DECISION WE
MAKE IN MEDICAL CARE.
[ VIDEO CONCLUDES ]
>> AN INTERESTING CONUNDRUM.
STEPHANIE ARE WE PUTTING DOCTORS
IN A DIFFICULT POSITION BY
ASKING THEM TO REFER?
AND WHAT DOES THIS END UP
MEANING FOR THE PATIENT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SOCIETY SHOULD NOT BE ASKING
DOCTORS TO REFER FOR A PROCEDURE
THAT, QUITE FRANKLY IS BAD
MEDICINE, IS UNETHICAL, AND SO,
INSTEAD, WE NEED TO BE REALLY
FOCUSING ON WHAT HEALTH CARE IS.
IF YOU THINK OF THE TWO WORDS,
HEALTH AND CARE, HEALTH IS TO
RESTORE A BODY TO ITS PROPER
FUNCTIONING.
WE NEVER HAVE DOCTORS TAKE A
BODY AND MAIM THE IT BUT WE HAVE
THEM RESTORE IT.
AND WHAT CAN CARE?
IT'S MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE
SUSTAINED AND COMFORTED.
SO INFLICTED DEATH ON ONE'S
PATIENT IS GOING AGAINST THE
VERY NATURE OF WHAT HEALTH CARE
OUGHT TO BE AND AS A RESULT THE
IMPACT IT HAS ON PATIENTS IS
THEY WILL BEGIN TO WONDER, CAN I
TRUST MY PHYSICIAN?
IF IN A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS I
WANT TO CONVEY HOW MUCH PAIN I'M
IN BY SAYING TO MY DOCTOR I WANT
TO DIE?
WILL HE TAKE ME SERIOUSLY AND
LITERALLY, INSTEAD OF SAYING
WAIT, I THINK THE DESIRE TO DIE
IS AN ICEBERG, THERE'S SO MUCH
MORE UNDERNEATH -- WHY ARE YOU
SAYING THAT?
WHAT ARE THOSE WORDS REALLY
EXPRESSING, IF YOU COULD PUT
OTHER WORDS TO IT?
AND MAYBE THE REASON I WANT TO
DIE IS BECAUSE I FEEL LONELY,
I'M AFRAID OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN
WITH THIS MEDICAL CONDITION AS
IT GETS WORSE, I AM IN PHYSICAL
PAIN BUT WHEN WE IDENTIFY THOSE
THINGS, THEN THE WHOLE NATURE OF
HEALTH CARE IS TO SAY, OKAY, HOW
DO I CORRECT YOUR PAIN?
HOW DO I GIVE YOU THE SUPPORTS
YOU NEED?
HOW DO I SHOW YOU HOW WE CAN
MANAGE YOUR CONDITION?
AND -- BUT WHEN WE DON'T DO
THAT, WHEN WE OFFER DEATH AS A
SOLUTION, WHICH REALLY IT'S
OFFERING KILLING AS A SOLUTION,
THEN THAT HARMS THE NATURE OF
THE MEDICAL PROVISION AND IT
CERTAINLY HARMS THE PATIENTS.
>> EXACTLY.
KEVIN IN YOUR FILM "FATAL FLAWS"
THEY WEREN'T JUST REFERRING
PEOPLE.
THEY WERE SUGGESTING EUTHANASIA
TO A PATIENT.
NOW CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT STORY OF CANDICE
LEWIS?
>> YEAH.
CANDICE, BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG,
25-YEAR-OLD, LIVED WITH CEREBRAL
PALSY AND SPINA BIFIDA HER WHOLE
LIFE IN AND OUT OF HOSPITALS.
ONE DIFFICULT NIGHT SHE WAS VERY
SICK, WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND
A DOCTOR CAME IN, LEANED DOWN IN
HER FACE AND SAID DO YOU KNOW
HOW SICK YOU ARE?
YOU KNOW WE HAVE THIS NEW LAW,
MEDICAL AID AND DYING, I WANT TO
LET YOU KNOW ABOUT IT.
TOOK MAMA OUT AND SAID, MOM,
YOU'RE BEING SELFISH, YOU SHOULD
CONSIDER THIS.
IT JUST TOTALLY BLEW THE MOM AND
BLEW CANDICE AWAY.
AND SAID NO.
THE MOM SAYS, NO, YOU KNOW, LIKE
WHERE ARE YOU EVEN SUGGESTING
IT?
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
AND AGAIN I DON'T CRITICIZE THE
AS MUCH AS I DO WHAT HAPPENED --
WHEN WE START TO ACCEPT THIS AS
A FORM OF TREATMENT.
SO DR. WILLIAM TOFFLER IN
OREGON, GREAT SPEAKER, HE SAID,
IF SOCIETY DEEMS THIS AS
NECESSARY IT SHOULD HAPPEN
OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE OF
MEDICINE, BECAUSE AS SOON AS IT
GOES INTO THE HOUSE OF MEDICINE,
IN SOME CASES, SOME LAWS AROUND
THE WORLD, THEY SAY IT HAS TO BE
MENTIONED AS A TREATMENT
HOSPITALIZATION.
IF WE UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY,
MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ASK FOR
IT, CERTAINLY NOT IN CANDICE'S
CASE, SHE DIDN'T WANT THIS, ASK
FOR IT BECAUSE OF FEAR, BECAUSE
OF FEAR OF FUTURE SUFFERING,
LOSING MY AUTONOMY AND BECOMING
A BURDEN.
THOSE ARE THE TOP REASONS.
ACTUALLY PHYSICAL PAIN IS WAY
DOWN HERE ON THE LIST, AND EVERY
SINGLE PALLIATIVE CARE
SPECIALIST I HAVE TALKED TO
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD I TALKED TO
SAY THEY CAN MANAGE EVERY TIME
OF PHYSICAL PAIN.
IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO GET IT
UNDER CONTROL BUT THEY CAN
MANAGE IT.
THE PROBLEM IS ACCESS.
ACCESS TO PROPER PAIN
MANAGEMENT.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE
THING.
CANDICE PASSED AWAY NATURALLY,
HAD A NATURAL DEATH, AND SO WE
MOURN THE LOSS OF CANDICE BUT WE
SALUTE HER BRAVERY BECAUSE SHE
CAME OUT AND SHARED HER STORY OF
BROKENNESS.
HER MOM SHARED HER STORY OF
BEING THAT PROPHET OF HOPE THAT
I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT SAID,
NO, YOU DOCTORS WHO THINK THIS
IS THE WAY TO GO, IT ISN'T.
IT SHOULD BE OUTSIDE OF THE
HOUSE AND SHOULDN'T EVEN BE
BROUGHT UP AS STEPHANIE SAID, AS
PART OF HEALTH CARE.
>> EXACTLY.
I KNOW A STORY THEY HAD A
SITUATION WHERE A DOCTOR CAME IN
AND TALKED TO A WOMAN AND HER
DAUGHTER AND SAID WOULD YOU LIKE
TO HAVE EUTHANASIA OR MERCY
KILLING, AND THE MOTHER LOOKED
AT THE DAUGHTER AND THE DAUGHTER
SAID IT'S UP TO YOU MOM.
AND THE MOTHER SAID, OKAY, I
WILL DO IT.
AND THEN SAID OBVIOUSLY YOU
DIDN'T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT ME TO
WANT TO STOP ME.
SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE NOT BEING OVERLY
SENSITIVE IN THE SENSE OF
SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO
INTERFERE WITH MOM'S WISHES WHEN
REALLY WHAT MOM IS LOOKING FOR
IS TO KNOW THAT NO, YOU DON'T
WANT HER TO DO THAT, YOU WANT
HER TO STAY.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY ENTERED
DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS WATER.
YOUR COMMENTS ON THE WHOLE
MEDICAL AID AND DYING,
ESPECIALLY IN CANADA?
>> THERE ISN'T MUCH TO ADD TO
WHAT STEPHANIE AND KEVIN SAID.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS IN REGARD TO
THE WHOLE HEALTH PANDEMIC WE'RE
GOING THROUGH NOW, IT HAS SHOWN
HOW UPSIDE-DOWN OUR CULTURE IS.
ON THE ONE HAND WE'RE TRYING TO
PROTECT THE ELDERLY AND THOSE
WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS AND THOSE
MOST VULNERABLE TO THE DISEASE
AND YET WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT
TRYING TO PASS LAWS TO EXPAND
THE LAW THAT MAKE IT EVEN EASIER
TO KILL THESE SAME VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS.
AGAIN DURING THIS HEALTH CRISIS
YOU HAVE MENTAL HEALTH WHICH IS
A VERY TOP CONCERN, EVERYONE IS
TALKING ABOUT IT NOW.
SUICIDE PREVENTION LINES ARE
BEING PROMOTED AS THEY SHOULD BE
AND YET AT THE SAME TIME THE
GOVERNMENTS WANT TO FORCE
DOCTORS TO ASSIST IN THESE
SUICIDES.
IT'S COMPLETELY UPSIDE-DOWN AND
ALL I CAN SAY IS KUDOS TO ALL OF
THE DOCTORS AND NURSES, TO
DR. RAMONA SAYING ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH AND OUR DUTY IS TO SAVE
LIVES, NOT END THEM.
>> YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE AROUND
THE WORLD DID LOOK AT
CAULIFLOWER, THE UNITED STATES
AND SOME COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
GONE OFF THE RAILS ON SOME OF
THESE ISSUES WITH THE DIGNITY OF
THE HUMAN PERSON AND WHILE IT
MUST BE DIFFICULT TO BE HOPEFUL
IN THESE TIMES THE DESIRE TO
REESTABLISH CULTURE OF LIFE HAS
NEVER BEEN STRONGER IN A LOT OF
WAYS AND WE SEE IT AS A
GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT OUT THERE.
IN OUR FINAL SEGMENT, BELIEVE IT
OR NOT, WE'RE GETTING TO THE
FINAL SEGMENT, KEVIN ASKED EACH
GUEST TO COMMENT ON HOPE FOR THE
FUTURE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PIECE
RIGHT NOW AND FIND OUT, IS THERE
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE?
[ VIDEO ]
>> I WAKE UP EVERY DAY THINKING
HOW BAD IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IF WE
WEREN'T STEADFAST IN OUR FAITH
IN GOD.
I AM A CATHOLIC.
AND I KNOW THAT CHRIST REIGNS.
HE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE
REIGNING IN OUR COUNTRY.
WE HAVE TO LET HIM REIGN.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT CONVERSION
WILL COME ABOUT.
WE REALLY CAN'T -- WE CAN DO
EVERYTHING POLITICALLY.
WE CAN TRY AND -- AND THERE IS A
SOLUTION.
THERE'S A POLITICAL SOLUTION.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO STICK
UNLESS WE HAVE CONVERSION.
AND WE HAVE TO LET CHRIST TAKE
THE REIGNS.
WE HAVE TO LET CHRIST REIGN IN
THAT BIG BUILDING IN OTTAWA, AND
THEN IN EVERY LEGISLATURE IN
CANADA, IN EVERY TOWN HALL,
CHRIST MUST REIGN.
>> I'M SEEING HONESTLY LIVES
CHANGE FROM THESE BABIES THAT
ARE BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD AND
TO THESE WOMEN, AND OFTEN, SADLY
THERE ARE SO MANY CASES OF RAPE
THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT AND
THINGS LIKE THAT AND THE BABIES
TRULY DO BRING HOPE AND HEALING
TO THESE WOMEN.
SO I MEAN EVERY NEW LIFE IS SO
PRECIOUS.
>> THERE IS HOPE BECAUSE THERE'S
FORGIVENESS.
I CAN ASK FORGIVENESS FROM THE
PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE AFFECTED
BY THE FACT THAT I ENDED THE
LIFE OF MY FIRST CHILD, THAT I
LOST FERTILITY AND FUTURE
GRANDCHILDREN, FUTURE NIECES,
NEPHEWS, COUSINS.
I CAN ASK FORGIVENESS FROM THE
CHILD WHO IS LIVING IN THE LORD.
I CAN ULTIMATELY LOOK IN THE
MIRROR AND THE PERSON I SEE NOW
IS A PERSON WHO IS FORGIVEN, WHO
IS LOVED.
AND ULTIMATELY, WHAT IS THIS
LIFE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR?
THE HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE
PASS THROUGH THIS WORLD, WE
BRING OTHERS WITH US TOWARD LIFE
AND ULTIMATELY, AS A CHRISTIAN,
AS A CATHOLIC, MY GOAL IS HEAVEN
AND TO GO THERE WITH AS MANY
PEOPLE AS I CAN.
AND THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN
THAT I LOST THROUGH ABORTION,
THROUGH CONTRACEPTION, THROUGH
ATOPIC PREGNANCY WERE NOT IN
VEIN.
THOSE CHILDREN HAVE -- THEIR
STORIES HAVE BROUGHT FORTH NEW
LIFE FOR OTHERS.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S THE
END GAME.
>> THERE IS HOPE BECAUSE HE HAS
ALREADY WON THE BATTLE FOR US.
LIFE WINS.
THE ENDING TO THIS STORY HAS
ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN.
SO RIGHT NOW IT MAY NOT FEEL
THAT WAY.
THERE'S PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE
IT'S GOING TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS
HOPELESS, BUT WE HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT HE HAS DONE ALL
THE WORK.
HE'S JUST ASKED US TO BE GOOD
AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS.
AND WE CAN DO THAT.
WE CAN DO OUR SMALL PART IN THIS
GREAT, LONG WAR THAT HAS BEEN
FOUGHT OVER CENTURIES WITH
DIFFERENT ISSUES AND RIGHT NOW
IT'S THE ABORTION ISSUE.
>> I REMEMBER I WAS TELLING
ALLELUIA OLDER DOCTOR MY DILEMMA
ABOUT THIS AND I THOUGHT I HAD
TO LEAVE FAMILY MEDICINE.
AND SHE'S NOT EVEN ANTI
EUTHANASIA BUT SHE SAID ALL DUMB
RULES DIE.
JUST GIVE IT SOME TIME AND IT
WILL DIE.
SO I'M A BELIEVER THAT THERE'S
SOME MY UNDERSTANDING HERE
THERE'S SOME ROOM FOR EDUCATION
HERE AND THAT THERE'S STILL
ABILITY TO MOVE TOWARDS THE
GOOD.
AND IN THE MEANTIME I'M
RESISTING.
I'M DOING WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS
DONE WHICH IS SERVE THE GOOD.
I DEFINITELY EDUCATE MY
PATIENTS.
THEY ARE AWARE, THERE'S NO KIND
OF FOOLING THEM AS TO WHO I AM
AND WHAT I'M BRINGING TO THE
TABLE.
BUT MY PATIENTS STAY AND MANY OF
THEM SAID THEY FEEL I LOVE THEM,
AND I DO.
>> MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO BE
WITH OTHERS.
WE NEED TO BE CARING FOR OTHERS.
PEOPLE ARE NOT CHOOSING LETHAL
INJECTION AND DEATHS BECAUSE
THEY ARE SUFFERING SO GREATLY.
THERE'S VERY FEW CASES THAT HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
MOST PEOPLE ARE DYING BY
EUTHANASIA ARE REQUESTING
EUTHANASIA BECAUSE THEY'RE
ALONE, THEY'RE LONELY, GOING
THROUGH HAD A DIFFICULT TIME,
YES, BUT EXPERIENCING WHAT WE
WOULD CALL "HOPELESSNESS," THIS
FEELING OF HOPELESSNESS WHICH IS
A NORMAL HUMAN REALITY.
WHAT IS THE ANTIDOTE TO
HOPELESSNESS?
LOVE, CARE, AND BEING W DURING
THIS TIME OF THE COVID-19, CALL
YOUR MOTHER, PHONE YOUR MOTHER,
PHONE YOUR FRIENDS.
IF ALL WE CAN DO IS PHONE PEOPLE
AND TALK THEM, PLEASE DO IT
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE WONDERING IS ANYBODY
GOING TO TALK TO THEM AT ALL?
THEY CAN'T GET OUT, CAN'T GO
ANYWHERE.
NO ONE IS TALKING TO THEM.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
>> IT'S SOME POWERFUL STATEMENTS
TO THINK ABOUT.
NOW, AS WE WRAP THINGS UP, IT'S
YOUR TURN, PANEL AND WE WILL
TALK TO EACH OF YOU ABOUT WHAT
BRINGS HOPE IN THE FUTURE TO
YOUR MIND.
WE WILL START OFF WITH YOU,
STEPHANIE?
>> CERTAINLY WE KNOW THAT WE ARE
ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH AND THAT
TRUTH PREVAILS.
THAT AS YOU SIT HERE TODAY OUR
REASON FOR HOPE.
AND I AM SOMEBODY WHO LOVES
QUOTES.
AND NEAR THE BEGINNING OF MY
CAREER, IT WAS JUST AS I WAS
FINISHING UP UNIVERSITY AROUND
2000 OR 2001 AND I CAME ACROSS A
SERMON BY THEN FATHER RICHARD
JOHN KNEW HOUSE WHO IS NOW
PASSED AWAY SO THE LATE FATHER
NEW HOUSE AND HE MADE A
STATEMENT IN THERE ABOUT HOPE
THAT HAS ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME.
HE SAID HOPE IS A VIRTUE OF
HAVING LOOKED UNBLINKINGLY INTO
ALL OF THE REASONS FOR DESPAIR
AND ALL OF THE REASONS THAT
WOULD SEEM TO FALSIFY HOPE AND
THEN SAY, NONETHELESS, CHRIST IS
LORD; NONETHELESS, THIS IS A
STORY OF THE WORLD, AND THIS IS
A STORY TO WHICH I WILL
SURRENDER MYSELF DAY BY DAY.
AND HE SAID NOT SIMPLY ON ONE
ALTAR CALL BUT INSTEAD AS THE
ENTIRETY OF ONE'S LIFE IN WHICH
EVERY DAY IS A LAYING OF YOUR
LIFE ON THE ALTER OF THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST BEING OFFERED UP IN
PERFECT SACRIFICE TO THE FATHER.
CHRIST DID THAT FOR US.
HE IS OUR HOPE.
AND WHEN WE TAKE UP OUR CROSS
AND FOLLOW HIM, THEN WE WILL SEE
THE WORLD BE TRANSFORMED AND HIS
KINGDOM COME ON THIS EARTH.
>> WELL, SAID.
KEVIN?
HOW ABOUT YOU, YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> YEAH, THAT WAS BEAUTIFULLY
SAID, STEPHANIE.
IT'S HARD TO ADD TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OF THE MOST --
THE MOST COMMONLY USED PHRASE
THAT JESUS USES IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT, "BE NOT AFRAID."
I THINK THERE'S 365 TIMES I
HEARD THAT.
IT'S SUCH A GREAT, GREAT THING
TO REMEMBER EACH AND EVERY DAY.
THAT'S WHY OUR MINISTRY, YOU
KNOW, IS ABOUT BECOMING A
PROPHET OF HOPE.
I THINK OF MY GRANDMA, EDNA
KUNTZ AND SHE USED TO SAY, THEY
CRITICIZED HER FOR HAVING TOO
MUCH CHILDREN AND WHAT IF THIS
HAPPENS AND THAT.
SHE SAID YOU KNOW WHAT?
CHILDREN BRING THEIR LOVE WITH
THEM.
CHILDREN BRING THEIR LOVE WITH
THEM.
AS A FATHER OF SIX KIDS, THAT
IS WHAT HAPPENS.
WE COULD FEAR ABOUT, WELL, WHAT
IF WE CAN'T DO THIS OR DO THAT?
WE HAVE A GOD WHO LOVES US WHO
HAS INFINITE LOVE FOR US.
YES, WE HAVE TO BE REASONABLE
AND WE HAVE TO USE OUR HEADS BUT
IN THE END, IT'S TRULY, TRULY
ABOUT LOVE, ABOUT ACCEPTING THAT
GRACE AND LETTING THAT LOVE
EXUDE FROM US THROUGH THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
YOU KNOW, CHILDREN BRING THEIR
LOVE WITH THEM.
AND IT MIGHT EVEN BE 35 YEARS
LATER.
I KNOW I SHARED WITH YOU THAT
STORY ABOUT MARY'S BIRTH SON, MY
WIFE'S SON PATRICK.
35 YEARS LATER AND SHE NOW PART
OF OUR FAMILY.
CHILDREN REPLY THEIR LOVE WITH
THEM.
IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DELAYED BUT
THEY DO.
I THINK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER
KATHLEEN.
AND I HAD NO IDEA SHE WAS DOING
THIS.
SHE WAS -- EVERY WEEK SHE WAS
SPENDING AN HOUR WITH AN ELDERLY
PERSON IN A NURSING HOME, AND
SHE WAS PLAYING SCRABBLE.
AND ONE DAY THE ELDERLY PERSON
TOOK A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT
MEDICAL AID AND DYING NOW BEING
AVAILABLE IN CANADA, AND PUSHED
THIS TOWARDS KATHLEEN AND SAID,
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
AND KATHLEEN LOOKED AT HER AND
SAID -- SHE BASICALLY SAID, YOU
KNOW, I WOULD NEVER ABANDON YOU
LIKE THAT.
I LOVE YOU, MAGGIE.
I SEE THE PICTURES ON YOUR WALL
AND PART OF YOUR FAMILY NOW,
THROUGH THIS VOLUNTEER, YOU AND
I HAVE A CONNECTION.
I WOULD NEVER ABANDON YOU LIKE
THAT, I LOVE YOU.
AND THE OLD WOMAN LOOKED AT
KATHLEEN AND SAID, YOU REALLY
LOVE ME?
SHE SAID YEAH, I REALLY DO.
AND HE SAID, WELL, I GUESS
THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH.
AND SHE PULLED THE ARTICLE AWAY
AND THEY CONTINUED PLAYING
SCRABBLE.
AND SHE DIED A YEAR LATER IN HER
SLEEP, DIED NATURALLY.
AND I THINK, WOW, IS IT REALLY
THAT SIMPLE?
JUST BECOMING A PROPHET OF HOPE?
REACHING OUT TO THOSE WHO NEED
US.
AND THEN WHEN I'M DOWN, WHEN I
AM FEELING DOWN, WHEN I MET --
WHEN I'M AT MY LOWEST AND I
START TO THINK ABOUT THESE LAWS
BECAUSE OF MY PHYSICAL CONDITION
OR ABOUT MY PAIN, I HAVE TO
REACH OUT TO THE PROPHETS OF
HOPE IN MY LIFE WHO WILL GIVE ME
THE ENCOURAGEMENT, AND SO I
ADMONISH AND I ASK ANY OF YOU
LISTENING OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY
IN THESE TIMES, BECOME A PROPHET
OF HOPE.
WHEN THIS PROGRAM ENDS, JUST
PICK UP THE PHONE, TEXT SOMEONE,
CALL THEM, SPEAK THAT VOICE, AND
I THINK IN THAT SMALL WAY, WE
HAVE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
>> RIGHT.
IN YOUR CASE, MATTHEW, LET'S
TALK IN CONTEXT OF THE MOVEMENT
ITS SELF.
IS THERE HOPE IN THE MOVEMENT
ITSELF?
>> YES, DEFINITELY.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR UPS
AND DOWNS OVER -- REALLY IN
CANADA OVER 50 YEARS NOW EVER
SINCE THE FLOODGATES TO ABORTION
ON DEMAND WERE OPENED BY THAT
HORRENDOUS LAW IN 1969.
BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS.
THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT IS A
MOVEMENT OF HOPE.
IT IS BUILT ON HOPE.
WE ARE AN EASTER PEOPLE.
WE PEOPLE WHO DEFEND LIFE
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN ETERNAL
LIFE.
MOTHER TERESA ONCE SAID WE ARE
NOT CALLED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE ARE CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL.
BE FAITHFUL TO GOD, TO THE
TRUTH, AND GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF
THE REST.
BE NOT AFRAID, CANADA.
>> ALL RIGHT. AMEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE.
WE LEAVE IT WHERE WE BEGAN
TODAY, WITH THE MEANING OF THE
MARCH, THE THEME "BE NOT AFRAID,
I GUESS, AND CERTAINLY BE NOT
AFRAID TO CLAIM THE GOSPEL OF
LIFE.
IT'S REALLY ALL WE HAVE.
AND, OF COURSE, I'D LIKE TO
THANK OUR PANELISTS FOR JOINING
US TODAY AND DOING A GREAT JOB.
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER AND AUTHOR
STEPHANIE GRAY.
STEPHANIE?
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE ONE AND ONLY FILM MAKER
AND INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER KEVIN
DUNN WHO I OWE SO MUCH FOR
PUTTING THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM
REALLY TOGETHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, KEVIN, AS
ALWAYS.
>> DOUG, IT'S A PLEASURE, AND I
WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T
THANK EWTN FOR YOUR WORK AND
CONTINUING TO PROMOTE A CULTURE
OF LIFE.
IT'S AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US
SO THANK YOU DOUG AND THE
TECHNICAL CREW AND EVERYONE IN
BIRMINGHAM.
>> KEEP MOTHER ANGELICA IN YOUR
PRAYERS.
>> COALITION OF LIFE CHAIRMAN
MATT WOJCIECHOWSKI THANK YOU FOR
SPENDING YOUR TIME AND ALL OF
THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ALL WEEK
LONG IN CANADA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOUG.
WHY TONIGHT ECHO KEVIN'S
STATEMENTS AGAIN THAT JUST, FULL
APPRECIATION FOR SURE THE GOOD
FOLKS AT EWTN FOR ALWAYS BEING
FAITHFUL TO THE MARCH FOR LIFE
AND FOR ALWAYS COVERING THE
CANADIAN MARCH FOR LIFE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THAT YOU, PANEL.
IT'S BEEN GREAT.
HOPEFULLY OUR AUDIENCE
APPRECIATES IT AS MUCH AS I DID.
EWTN IS PROUD TO BRING YOU
COVERAGE EACH YEAR OF THE HE
MARCH FOR LIFE IN CANADA.
IT'S AWARE CANADIAN MARKET AND
WE CARRY THAT AND THE OTHER
MARCH FOR LIVES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT ON EWTN.
IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO
MOTHER ANGELICA.
AND, OF COURSE, WHEREVER WE FIND
YOU TODAY, REMEMBER THOSE WORDS
OF OUR BLESSED LORD AND POPE
ST. JOHN PAUL II, BE NOT AFRAID.
MOTHER ANGELICA SAID IT ALL THE
TIME, TOO.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF AND CREW
HERE AT EWTN.
WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
[MUSIC]
