Shocking Move by Quebec Premier: Public Prayer Under Threat
I was stunned to hear that last Friday, François Legault suggested banning public prayer in Quebec. This comes in response to incidents, particularly in the Montreal area, involving individuals of Muslim origin. Is he trying to mimic communist regimes that outlaw all public expressions of religion? This is where the abuse of the concept of secularism or "laïcité" leads us.
A distorted view
Laïcité, in its original sense, simply means governance by laypeople rather than clergy. However, in the hands of our leaders, this concept has morphed into a supposed state neutrality toward religion—an impossible stance when some religions promote ideas that are blatantly false, dangerous, or absurd. Worse still, this distorted view is now being used to justify the eradication of all religious expression in public spaces.
Our twice-annual 40 Days for Life prayer vigil for an end to abortion -- Banned ?
A shocking and totalitarian proposal
If this trend continues, roadside crosses, church steeples, religious processions, nativity scenes, and everything that reminds us of our soul and eternal destiny will be banned. This grotesque proposal immediately reminded me of another major misstep by the CAQ government: when Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx banned Harvest Ministries from the Quebec City Convention Centre for being too pro-life. That case is still before the courts.
Believers penalized under flimsy pretexts
I'm fed up with seeing this government use the missteps of certain groups as an excuse to strip all believers of their rights to express their faith. These measures are thinly veiled attempts to eliminate Christianity’s influence in Quebec under the guise of pseudo-nationalism and "protecting Quebec values."
Our annual LifeChain prayer event -- Banned?
Take action: Sign the petition!
That’s why we’ve drafted a petition that we hope thousands will read and sign. We need to send François Legault a loud and clear message: these attempts to win votes by trampling on believers’ rights are unacceptable and absurd.
If you agree, please sign the petition here:
And please share the petition widely. Banning public prayer is an act of totalitarianism and staggering narrow-mindedness that we must stop. Together, let’s stand up for faith and common sense for future generations!
Thank you for your steadfast support
Finally, a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has contributed to our year-end fundraising campaign. We’ve already surpassed our goal, even though the campaign officially ends on December 18. However, with the ongoing Canada Post strike straining our operations and so many battles ahead of us—including standing up to opponents like François Legault—your support is more critical than ever. Thank you for your generosity!
For Life,
Georges Buscemi
President, Quebec Life Coalition
P.S. The freedom to pray in public is a fundamental right that no government should take away. If you believe, as we do, that this proposed ban on public prayer sets a dangerous precedent, sign the petition here. Then share it widely in your networks. The more voices we raise, the stronger our message: we will not stand for this totalitarian drift that seeks to erase Quebec’s Christian heritage. Thank you for your support!
1 reaction Read morePro-life apologetics - role play
By Brian Jenkins (Quebec Life Coalition)
I recently had the privilege of presenting the pro-life message to a group of believers in an innovative way.
I belong to a faith-based devotional group which met last Saturday, 7 December, for its annual social event at which its members were asked to contribute a five-minute entertainment segment to the proceedings.
By far, the most popular contribution is the singing of seasonal devotional songs. In previous years, friends and I have done this, especially as one of us is a gifted baritone singer. This year, however, at the suggestion of our spiritual director, we performed mini skits about the pro-life work I do on the streets of Montreal. There were two performances, each of which was appreciated by those present.
First, wearing the signs I carry with on St. Catherine Street, I interacted with Jim according to the following script:
Brian, sees Jim, greets him: “Hi.” Jim replies “Hi” and stops walking.
Brian: “Did you know that abortion is legal through all nine months of pregnancy in Canada?” I asked him.
Jim: “No!” I didn’t know that. I don’t agree with abortion when the baby is older. But in the first couple weeks, I don’t really see the problem with it.”Brian: “Do you believe in human rights?”
Jim: “Of course!”Brian: “And who should get human rights?”
Jim: “Humans.”Brian: “If two human beings reproduce, what species are their offspring?”
Jim: “Human, I guess.”Brian: “Then doesn’t it follow that abortion is a human rights violation?”
Jim: “Yes, yes it does! It’s not okay to kill a child, I get that now.”
In the second role play, I exchanged with Angie.
I see Angie approaching and I ask her: “What do you think about abortion?
Angie: "Well, personally I wouldn’t have one, but I think it should be every woman’s choice what to do with her body.”Brian: “What about the baby’s body?”
Angie paused and thought. Finally, she said, “Yeah, I guess I never thought about that before.” She took a pamphlet and headed off.
Special thanks go to Justina van Manen for collecting these scripts her book “Stuck: A complete guide to answering tough questions about abortion.”
1 reaction15 Years Leading Quebec Life Coalition and 50 Years of Blessings
We're kicking off the fourth week of our year-end fundraising campaign, made all the more urgent by the ongoing Canada Post strike. Your generosity is crucial to keep us going.
This past weekend, I celebrated a milestone: 50 years on this Earth and 15 years as president of Quebec Life Coalition. As I reflect on these years, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings and challenges that have shaped me and our mission to defend life and uphold Christian values in Quebec.
How It All Began
I began my "career" (if you can call it that) in the pro-life movement during my doctoral studies in religious studies at McGill University (class of 2008). Newly returned to my Catholic faith and eager to meet like-minded people, I joined a campus pro-life group called "Choose Life," founded by an American student, Natalie Fohl. One of our first activities was watching a video by Stephanie Gray, a pro-life speaker, which included a stark portrayal of abortion. Seeing that video changed my life (click here to view this video).
Abortion was no longer a topic for polite debate; it was a horrific crime that I could not ignore. I couldn’t justify sipping coffee in a Montreal café, writing about Kant’s moral proof for the existence of God, while mere blocks away, innocent lives were being destroyed. I was, as they say, "redpilled."
I soon connected with Campagne Québec-Vie (Quebec Life Coalition), founded in 1989 by Gilles Grondin, a former Canadian diplomat, in response to the devastating Morgentaler Supreme Court decision of 1988 that decriminalized abortion. Leaving academia behind, I joined this mission full-time.
1 reaction Read morePro-Life Pregnancy Centers Under Attack: Here's How You Can Help!
We're kicking off the third week of our year-end fundraising campaign, made all the more urgent by the ongoing Canada Post strike. Your generosity is crucial to keep us going, because there's still a lot of work to be done.
The Challenge: Pro-Life Centers Under Government Attack
The Quebec government has started targeting pro-life pregnancy centers, accusing them of spreading misinformation as part of their pro-abortion action plan. At the same time, the federal government wants to strip these centers of their ability to issue tax receipts, threatening their very survival.
Our Response: Helping More Women with "Enceinte et inquiète"
Despite these attacks, we are not backing down. In fact, we’re committed to expanding our service for pregnant women in need, "Enceinte et inquiète," in 2025. This year alone, we helped over 50 women—that's almost one woman every week—through follow-ups, visits, calls, and attentive listening.
In November, "Daniella," one of the women we helped, gave birth to twins.
Through our Facebook page, website www.enceinteinqiete.org, and toll-free number 1-855-871-4442, we are here for these women—listening to their concerns and connecting them with pro-life resources that won’t push them towards ending their pregnancy.
Freedom to Truly Support Women
Quebec Life Coalition does not issue tax receipts, meaning we are not under government pressure to comply with their pro-abortion agenda, which often ends in the death of the unborn child. We are free to act as a bridge between women in need and pro-life centers, without formal ties that could make these centers vulnerable to attacks from pro-abortion groups and governments.
There’s Still Time to Make a Difference!
We’re just two weeks away from the end of our holiday fundraising campaign. So far, we've raised $10,158, but we still need $4,842 more by December 18. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has already donated. If you haven't yet, please consider giving today to help us expand our support for pregnant women in need. With the ongoing Canada Post strike, your help is more important than ever.
Thank you for standing with us!>>
For Life,
Georges Buscemi
President, Quebec Life Coalition
Two Years of pro-life in Quebec : How I Keep Fighting
We're nearing the third week of our year-end fundraising campaign, launched early to tackle the challenges posed by the Canada Post strike. Thank you in advance for your generosity—we have a lot of work ahead of us!
It has been two years since I began working for Quebec Life Coalition (QLC). Since you regularly receive emails from my colleagues—but rarely from me—you might be wondering: what does QLC’s Director of Political Operations and Volunteer Coordinator actually do? (These are the two roles I currently fill within our organization.)
Most of my time is not spent writing emails and articles. Instead, my main tasks fall into several categories: outreach to churches, developing a pro-life youth movement, coordinating volunteers, organizing special events, promoting pro-life candidates, and attending political events.
Outreach to Churches: I have the privilege of regularly meeting with pastors and church staff, helping them promote appropriate pro-life activities within their communities and connecting them with the work we are doing at QLC. I’m always available to give pro-life presentations at churches as well.
A QLC conference organized at a parish community in the Quebec City region
Developing a Youth Movement: I’m working to build the youth branch of the pro-life movement here in Quebec. Today’s young people are more pro-life than those just a decade ago, but these beliefs need to be nurtured, developed, and supported—especially in the often-hostile education system.
A QLC Students for Life event, in Montreal.
Volunteer Coordination: There is so much to do for the pro-life cause, particularly here in Quebec. There are many impactful ways for our volunteers to get involved. Some activities include: Vigil 365 with Brian (a daily prayer vigil near the abortion clinic), pamphleting (distributing pro-life materials on the street or directly to mailboxes), helping in the office (with simple but important tasks), event volunteering (setup, registration, security, etc.), becoming a regional contact (to identify pro-life candidates), serving as a church contact (acting as a liaison with your church community), assisting with social media, and much more.
Organizing Special Events: At QLC, we run several events each year. Our biggest one in 2024 was the first-ever Quebec March for Life. We also organize smaller events such as rallies, vigils, and presentations—all of which require significant work and coordination from our entire team.
The 2024 March for Life in Quebec City.
Promoting Pro-Life Candidates: If we want life-respecting officials in office, we need to vote for them, support them with donations, and volunteer for their campaigns. Part of my job is encouraging pro-life candidates to run and informing our volunteers about opportunities to support them in their regions. Let’s remember that abortion and euthanasia became realities in Canada due to bad decisions by elected officials. Whether those decisions could have been avoided or not, one thing is clear: we won’t reverse these trends without greater political involvement from pro-life individuals.
Attending Political Events: I also attend various conferences and conventions where I have the opportunity to engage with elected officials on the topic of pro-life policies. Voting for solid pro-life candidates is crucial, but so is ongoing dialogue with those already in office. Educating them on what it means to be pro-life and why life-respecting policies are essential is an important part of the work we do.
Attending a Christian Heritage Party convention in Hamilton, ON.
All in all, working for QLC is truly rewarding. There is no better time than today and no better place than Quebec to make an impact. If you want to learn more about my work, book a presentation, or get involved as a volunteer, please feel free to send me an email.
As we approach the end of the year, I also want to invite you to contribute to our special end-of-year fundraiser. The recent Canada Post strike has impacted our usual donation streams, and we need your support to ensure QLC can continue its vital pro-life work well into 2025. Every contribution helps us stay strong and keep making a difference in Quebec.
Donate Today >>
For Life,
Arpad Nagy
Director of Political Operations and Volunteer coordinator, Quebec Life Coalition
P.S. None of this important work is possible without your support. So far, we have raised $7,745 towards our goal of $15,000 by December 18. That means we still need $7,255 in just a few weeks. Please consider making a donation today to help us reach our goal and continue our mission.
1 reactionQuebec gov't acknowledges growing influence of pro-life movement
Today marks the second week of our year-end fundraising campaign, launched early to tackle the challenges posed by the Canada Post strike. Thank you in advance for your generosity—we have much work ahead of us!
As we’ve shared in recent emails and articles, on Monday, November 18, Quebec’s Minister for the Status of Women, Martine Biron, unveiled a shocking 28-point “action plan” aimed at entrenching abortion access (The plan is available for now only in French, here). This includes introducing a telehealth service to make the abortion pill available across Quebec—on top of the 25,000 abortions already performed annually in the province and 100,000 across Canada!
But there’s something in this government plan worth noting—a recognition of the growing impact of the pro-life movement in Quebec, made possible by your support:
"Among the signs that the anti-choice [pro-life] movement is organizing and ramping up its efforts in Quebec, an anti-abortion march intended to become an annual event was held for the first time in Quebec City in June 2024. Alliances have also recently been formed between Quebec’s anti-choice [pro-life] groups and those from the rest of Canada, enabling the pooling of resources and increasing visibility. Vigilance is required as the anti-choice [pro-life] movement becomes increasingly visible in the public sphere and targets Quebec.”
This is proof that our efforts are working. Pro-abortion ideologues are genuinely rattled—and rightly so. The truth about abortion cannot be ignored forever. Far from being “health care” or a “right,” abortion is a gross violation of human rights, as powerfully demonstrated in these two videos (viewer discretion advised):
Campagne Québec-Vie isn’t standing alone in this fight. The movement is growing, with new groups rising to defend life, like Montreal’s pro-life student group Action Vitale or Abortion Victim Photography group "Montreal Against Abortion".
The march referenced in the government’s plan is, of course, the March for Life in Quebec City. Clearly, this event has struck a nerve with those in power. That’s why we’re committed to hosting it again in 2025—especially as next year marks the 50th anniversary of Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, which begins with these words:
"1. Every human being has the right to life…"
We’ve chosen this powerful phrase as the theme for next year’s March for Life, scheduled for Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Quebec City. Mark your calendars now!
As the government doubles down on its pro-abortion agenda, in reaction to our growing pro-life presence, we need your help. Our fundraising campaign ends December 18, but we ask you to make a special, sacrificial gift today. Your support will allow us to overcome the challenges posed by the postal strike and continue to defend life in the face of government propaganda.
Thank you for your generosity and your unwavering commitment to the pro-life cause.
For Life,
Georges Buscemi
President, Quebec Life Coalition
Four Bold Actions to Build a Culture of Life in Quebec
Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve already raised over $3,000 since the launch of our fundraising campaign last Wednesday. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your generosity and commitment to life!
That said, there’s still much to do. With the Canada Post strike disrupting one of our main donation channels, your help is more critical than ever. We need your collaboration to reach our $15,000 goal by December 18, so we can continue standing up for the unborn and pushing back against the Quebec government’s pro-abortion agenda.
As I shared in my previous email, the Quebec government’s Plan d’action gouvernemental sur l’accès à l’avortement 2024-2027 promotes radical measures to expand access to abortion, including:
- Deploying telehealth services to make abortion pills available across Quebec.
- Expanding abortion clinics (“points of service”) to reach even more regions.
- Increasing funding for pro-abortion groups to combat so-called “misinformation.”
- Facilitating access to long-acting contraceptives after surgical abortions.
In response to these measures promoting a culture of death, Quebec Life Coalition is taking bold actions to build a culture of life in Quebec:
- Strengthening our Pregnant and Worried support network to inform women about alternatives to abortion, including resources to help them continue their pregnancies.
- Launching 2025 awareness campaigns on the value of life and the aftermath of abortion, reaching communities across Quebec.
- Mobilizing for the 2025 March for Life, with official announcements coming soon about this pivotal event.
- Developing educational tools, including brochures and online resources, to counter misinformation about abortion.
We refuse to let the Quebec government’s radical measures go unanswered. With your support, we can respond decisively—with hope, truth, and action—to each of their initiatives.
Your contribution is vital. Every dollar you give supports our efforts to protect unborn children and their mothers. Together, we can turn the tide and restore a culture of life.
Thank you for your generous support today >>
For Life,
Georges Buscemi
President, Quebec Life Coalition
Canada Post Strike: We Need Your Help Now!
Today marks the start of our year-end fundraising campaign, and we need your support more than ever. With the ongoing Canada Post strike, our ability to receive donations through the mail is compromised, and we have urgent work ahead. Please give today.
Vigil 365 – Monday, November 18, 2024, A little of everything
By Brian Jenkins (Quebec Life Coalition) - Photo: Augustin Hamilton
As usual, I arrived at the vigil site at around 7h30. No sooner had I arrived than a first visitor arrived. Laurence is homeless and currently sleeping in one of Montreal's shelters for the homeless. She described it as very rough, with limited services. She said that the rules are not being enforced, and that men and women weren't respecting the zones set aside for them respectively. Some of her belongings have gone missing, and although meals are prepared, she believes she has had a bout of diarrhea as a result. She does not feel safe. She wants to get out. I offered her bottled water and a few dollars, and she left to find a better shelter. Jasper arrived soon after. He took over from me the care of the vigil this past September when I had left to do one in Sherbrooke. Since my return, he has taken a break and this morning he is going to meet a friend at a local café. Then my prayer partner, Caterina arrived. We began our prayers, and during which I realized that I had not seen any of the familiar faces that I associate with the abortion centre. As we prayed, Caterina and I were interrupted by a loud and angry middle-aged woman. We first noticed her standing on the curb taking a picture of us with her mobile phone. Dear reader, be aware that there is a certain notoriety to being on the sidewalks of Montreal defending life. Before continuing on her way, this woman made a few comments about how inappropriate it was to pray for an end to abortion in front of a university. (The abortion facility is located across the street from the university.) She added that by our presence and the signs hung around our necks (“Pray for an end to abortion,” “Pregnant? Worried? 1-855-871-4442 We Can Help You,” and “Choose Life”) were manipulating the students. I attempted a reply but this lady quickly interrupted me, saying that she was not interested in what I had to say and stormed off. Caterina and I caught our breath after this brief encounter and resumed our prayers. Visitors, prayer, and confrontation, today’s vigil was a full one.
Vigil 365 is an activity of the Quebec Life Coalition since February 2020 in which prayer volunteers gather near an abortion facility to pray for an end to abortion. We chose to meet at the intersection of Berri and Ste Catherine streets because there were five abortuaries within a half-kilometre radius from that spot. (One of them has since moved to another location.) The activity takes place daily and lasts either ninety minutes or twelve hours depending on the time of year. Interested people are welcome to participate and can learn more by calling (438) 930-8643.
1 reactionDefending Pro-Life Speech Against Quebec’s 50m Bubble Zones: Georges Buscemi’s Reflections
By Quebec Life Coalition - Photo: Théovox Actualités/YouTube
On the evening of Thursday, November 14th, Georges Buscemi, President of Campagne Québec-Vie / Quebec Life Coalition, appeared live on Théovox Actualités with Jean-François Denis to share his reflections on the trial challenging Quebec’s 50-meter buffer zones. This interview marked the conclusion of a week-long legal battle, during which Buscemi testified at the Superior Court of Quebec, advocating for the rights of pro-life advocates and women in crisis. The following account summarizes what Georges presented during this live interview, which can be viewed in its entirety (in French) here:
A Mission of Hope Versus Discrimination
Buscemi recounted how these bubble zones, introduced by a provincial law in 2016, prohibit pro-life advocates from offering compassionate support to women near abortion facilities. He emphasized that sidewalk counseling, which typically involves one or two individuals peacefully presenting alternatives to abortion, is meant to provide hope and practical solutions. He described how the law unfairly labels pro-life advocates as aggressors, turning their peaceful actions into prohibited activities.
“We offer help, we don’t impose it,” Buscemi explained during the interview. He stressed that their approach is rooted in respect and care, not intimidation. He also pointed out that existing laws, such as the Criminal Code of Canada, already address harassment and obstruction, rendering the bubble zones unnecessary.
1 reaction Read more