Alexandra Jezierski is hoping to enlist the help of 100,000 letter writers to influence Prime Minster Stephen Harper and members of Parliament to support a motion that would open debate on when an unborn child becomes a human being.
The Grade 12 student from Kingsville, Ont. began her Letters4Life campaign in support of Motion-312, Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth’s private member’s motion to open a debate on when a human life really begins.
“We’re hoping it (Motion-312) will help Canada to recognize the humanity of our unborn children,” Jezierski said.
The goal is to send 100,000 letters to the prime minister and MPs asking them to vote in favour of Woodworth’s motion. The letters are tracked online where visitors to the Letters4Life web site can input the number of letters they have sent. By late August, the online letter count was just above 58,000.
Visitors to Jezierski’s site can also choose from two available letter templates: one specifically for Motion-312, the other asking the prime minister to re-open the abortion debate. Jezierski has higher hopes for the effectiveness of the former.
“When Motion-312 came up, I realized that it’s easier to ask our government to do something in increments,” said Jezierski, “and asking them to support Motion-312 is a lot easier than asking them to end abortion.”
She was inspired by a pro-life letter-writing effort by the Teenage Life Club in the United States, a group of high school girls attempting to have one million letters sent to the U.S. government by November in their Stand Up for Life Campaign.
The second hour of debate on Motion-312 will be held on Sept. 21, the first Friday after Parliament resumes for the fall session. The Letters4Life deadline is Sept. 26, when the vote on Motion-312 is expected to be held.
Woodworth put the private member’s motion forth earlier this year.
“I think that many people think it’s going to solve the abortion question, and it certainly won’t do that,” Woodworth told The Catholic Register.
Motion-312 is meant to create a committee that will focus on scientific evidence and testimony of medical professionals on the development of a child in the womb. For example, “neurologists can testify about the point at which a child’s brain function can be recorded,” said Woodworth. “An anatomist can talk about the development of a child’s organs and limbs before birth.”
Currently, subsection 223(1) of Canada’s Criminal Code says a child becomes a human being only after birth.
“My goal and deep abiding belief is that no civilized country, including Canada, should tolerate a law like subsection 223(1), which dehumanizes and excludes and condemns any class of person,” Woodworth said.
He had the motion delayed when his mother fell ill last May. “When the vote came up in June, I didn’t feel quite capable of proceeding with the second hour of debate,” he said.
Woodworth’s mother died in late August, but he’s expecting to be able to proceed with the motion as presently scheduled.
Woodworth is not surprised that youth have supported Motion-312.
“This is an issue which does tend to engage idealism and thank goodness youth possess idealism,” he said.
Jezierski said the numbers of youth who have rallied behind her campaign is “unbelievable.” She and her peers also host letter-writing parties, where they meet their goal for the event, 100 letters for example, while listening to pro-life music.
There is a core of about 10 Letters4Life members and their main goal is to involve churches and write to bishops. Jezierski cites six bishops as her supporters. Though she is Catholic and so are most of the campaign supporters, she said Letters4Life has multi-faith support.
“I’m grateful for Alexandra’s support and the support of the many thousands of people across Canada who share with me a desire to see an unjust law at least looked at and discussed,” Woodworth said.
However, he does not want to set parameters on the discussion. “I genuinely want people to look at this with open minds and hearts.”
Whether the motion passes, Woodworth’s advice for Jezierski is, “Canadians at large should understand that no important issue rises or falls on a single vote in the House of Commons.”
In her anti-abortion campaign and in support for Motion-312, Jezierksi has met with hostility online. She said pro-choice supporters threatened her team with “cannibalism and death” over Facebook.
“Unborn children, it’s their lives that we are fighting for, so whatever inconveniences arise, it just makes us more passionate because we know that the unborn children, they’re the most important.”