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The remarks made two weeks ago by Martine Biron, Minister of Higher Education, in which she blamed a Quebec Conservative Party candidate for believing there should be a debate on abortion in Quebec, have sparked a wave of reactions that are worth examining.

One in particular, published in Libre Média and authored by Simon Demers, raises the question of the abortion debate: Has the debate taken place, and can we still talk about it?

In his opinion piece, Mr. Demers observes a desire to stifle any opposition to abortion, particularly in light of the incident involving the cancellation of a prayer event at the Quebec City Convention Center where abortion was reportedly among the topics to be discussed. He rightly points out that the media focused solely on the issue of free speech, but that “no one asked what these Christians were there to say.”

In his view, abortion is one of those issues that have not been “settled” through democratic debate, but are believed to be definitively closed because people have stopped discussing them.

In fact, he notes, in Quebec in particular, abortion ceased to be prosecuted when Justice Minister Marc-André Bédard — who had been sworn in just two weeks earlier — decided on December 10th, 1976, to stop enforcing the federal law in effect at the time. Then, 11 years later (11 years!), the Supreme Court of Canada handed down the Morgentaler decision, which fully decriminalized abortion. This was followed by a half-hearted attempt to legislate on the issue in the Parliament in Ottawa, which was abandoned in the Senate.

In a sense, ministers and judges have weighed in on abortion, but no real democratic debate has ever taken place.

Mr. Demers notes that the Catholic Church’s moral opposition to abortion was rejected along with the Church itself at the very moment this practice became socially accepted: “The argument regarding the status of this tiny being yet to come thus became inaudible along with the person who voiced it, without ever having been truly refuted.” Anyone who attempts even slightly to revive the “argument” is immediately suspected of dragging Quebec back into the “Great Darkness.”

What’s interesting is that he draws on certain pro-life arguments to justify the debate over abortion, particularly the one regarding the inconsistency in how we treat the unborn child: when wanted, he is considered a child — we choose a name for him and proudly show off the ultrasound; when unwanted, he is a “cluster of cells "...

While not a pro-life apologetic text, Simon Demers’ article does have the merit of raising the issue of the abortion debate; admittedly, it’s not a major media outlet, and I don’t expect its publication to spark any major media debates, but it is one more voice speaking out in a way that doesn’t simply ban any questioning of abortion.

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Last Saturday, we held our annual corn roast. During this warm and welcoming event, our guest, lawyer Samuel Bachand, spoke to us about the provisions of Bill 9, known as the “Act to Strengthen Secularism in Quebec”, which prohibits public prayer, except in cases where municipalities grant an exception.

Samuel Bachand.

Describing Quebec’s secularist regime as, in fact, religious — particularly with its unacknowledged worship of nature — Mr. Bachand explained that the law likely did not target religious events of a cultural heritage nature, such as processions, but that overzealous officials could use it to cancel events they disapprove of — think, for example, of the 40 Days for Life campaign. He emphasized the importance of asserting our rights by requesting permission from municipalities to hold religious events so that, if approved, precedents would be set that we could rely on. Failing to act would mean we would gradually lose ground in the face of Quebec’s secularization.

Petition for the Protection of Unborn Children

We invite you to sign our petition for the protection of unborn children in Canada, addressed to the Parliament of Canada.

Life Chain

On Sunday, October 4th, the Life Chain will take place — or rather, the life chains, since it is a multi-location event. This is a peaceful demonstration in which participants hold pro-life signs for one hour to raise public awareness about the fate of unborn children. You can join one of the chains taking place across Quebec or, if you’d like, organize one yourself. Visit the Life Chain Quebec website for more information.

For Life,
Augustin Hamilton

Petition for the Protection of Unborn Children

On June 9, 2026, the Terrasse-Vaudreuil City Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing trees as living beings and granting them the right to live, grow, and regenerate.

But what about unborn children? No law in Canada protects the smallest and most vulnerable among human beings.

Sign the petition to protect unborn children.

Life Chain

The Life Chain is a peaceful and quiet event in which participants hold pro-life signs for one hour. This initiative, which will take place in hundreds of cities on Sunday, October 4th, 2026, is crucial for raising public awareness about the dignity of human life.

For more information, visit the Life Chain website for Quebec.

Quebec Life Coalition store

Wear your faith and convictions on your sleeve.

Discover a unique selection of pro-life products : clothing, accessories, posters, books, decorations and inspiring publications. Each article is designed to affirm the dignity of all human life, support the family and promote a culture of life. Whether you are looking for a meaningful gift or a tool to raise awareness, here you will find useful, beautiful and deeply meaningful articles.

QLC online store.

Vigil 365

The 365 Vigil is a daily vigil of presence where, every day for one or two hours, pro-life activists gather in a public square at a certain distance from an abortion clinic in order to end abortion.

For more information, contact Brian Jenkins on (438) 930-8643.