The theme “End Female Gendercide: ‘It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence” throws into bold relief the controversy surrounding Conservative backbench MP Mark Warawa’s Motion-408 that asked Parliament to condemn the practice of gendercide that is not only taking place in countries like China and India but also increasingly in Canada.
Warawa’s motion was deemed non-votable earlier this year, raising concerns about the freedom MPs have to bring constituents’ concerns before the House of Commons in private member’s business.
Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast said abortion has wider social consequences than those immediately affecting the mother and her unborn child. Sex-selective abortions may “be skewing the numbers of men and women in society so that, longterm, men will not be able to find spouses through the killing in the womb of girls,” said the archbishop.
He warned one result could be a rise of human trafficking with “tragic consequences.”
“The ripple effect of every abortion is felt over the long term and in ways those choosing abortions don’t imagine at the time. Indeed, everyone suffers from such a ‘choice’ and we may say that women are always the losers with abortion,” Prendergast said.
“Every abortion is tragic, whether the child is a girl or a boy. But widespread abortion has repercussions beyond this immediate reality. In the coarsening of one’s natural sensitivity to the loss of someone who could contribute to society and to the well-being of previous and successive generations.”
And the effects will continue to grow, he said.
“Not bringing children into this world will impose great burdens on coming generations who will have to support the frail elderly with social programs and who may become desensitized to their elders and more prone to promote euthanasia,” he said, noting toleration of euthanasia is growing in Quebec.
Prendergast described the March for Life as a “lay movement that affirms life from conception to natural death” and “where lay people are called to witness by their actions as well as their committed word.”
“Religious and clergy are pleased to accompany them and encourage them in this contribution to the society in which the Church lives cheek by jowl with other people of faith or no faith who believe in the dignity of the human person at all stages,” he said.
Among the Catholic bishops who will be attending this year’s March are Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins, who will preside at the English-language Mass at St. Patrick’s Basilica, Montreal Archbishop Christian Lépine, Quebec Archbishop Gerald Lacroix, Alexandria- Cornwall Bishop Marcel Damphousse and Kingston Archbishop Brendan O’Brien. Peterborough Bishop Nicola De Angelis and London Bishop Ronald Fabbro have also indicated they will attend.
Catholic organizations are also calling for support for this year’s March.
“The Right to Life is fundamental to all the civil rights issues that the League addresses through its work,” said Catholic Civil Rights League executive director Joanne McGarry. “This year’s theme — ‘It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence — is very much in keeping with the support we provided for Motion-408 and all previous efforts to end the practice of sex-selective abortions.”
Keynote speaker for the annual Rose Dinner following the March is Reggie Littlejohn, the founder and president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers. Littlejohn will also speak at the Youth Conference planned for May 10.