Mark Carney.

Blog by Augustin Hamilton (Quebec Life Coalition) – Photo: World Economic Forum/Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

Justin Trudeau's long resignation is finally coming to an end. Mark Carney, elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada in the party's leadership race, today becomes Prime Minister of Canada.

But who is this Mark Carney who becomes Prime Minister without being elected by the population, at least until the end of the next election?

He is what you might call a banker, having worked among other things for Goldman Sachs for 13 years before becoming Governor of the Bank of Canada and then the Bank of England. He advised Justin Trudeau on economic issues during the "pandemic". He was recently the chairman of the board of the Brookfield Asset Management investment. He is the UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance. He has also participated in the G20, the G7, was Chairman of the Advisory Board of the progressive think tank Canada 2020, a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, chairman of the Group of Thirty, and a member of the boards of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard University Overseers and the Rideau Hall Foundation.

Finally, Mark Carney is a Catholic and reportedly goes to Mass every week.

In general, Mr Carney seems to be fairly discreet about his moral convictions. With one rare exception, on June 24th, 2022, he wrote a tweet on the occasion of the Dobbs ruling (overturning the Roe ruling) by the US Supreme Court, deploring the rollback of "woman’s right to choose" (i.e. abortion):

"I’m proud to live in a country where a woman’s right to choose is so strongly supported. But the devastating decision today in the US is a clear reminder that progress should never be taken for granted.

Our commitment to protecting fundamental rights must be unwavering."

His message at the time indicates that Mark Carney is pro-abortion, which is not surprising given his success in becoming leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

By Brian Jenkins 9Quebec Life Coalition) - Photo: Syda Productions/Adobe Stock

You are all invited to participate in a Lenten fundraiser to support the pregnancy help service run of the Quebec Life Coalition.

About ten years ago, the QLC created “Enceinte? Inquiète?” to help women in difficult pregnancies. Over time, the program has expanded to include post-abortion counseling, early childhood and family care, and has twice helped mothers carrying twins.

The fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, March 8, 2025, in the parish hall of the Church Saint Ambroise, 1215 Beaubien Street East, Montreal, H2S 1T8. Access to the hall is either through the church or from the side street – 6520, rue de Normanville.

The evening will have a Lenten theme, as the 40-days of Lent began the Wednesday before the fundraiser. There will be a Eucharistic Celebration (i.e., Mass) at 4p.m., followed by a social in the church hall downstairs. The menu will be in keeping with the spirit of Lent - prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

In addition, a number of speakers have been invited to share their thoughts on theme of how to support pregnant women and their families in our current culture. Among them will be the People's Party of Canada candidate for the next federal election, Ms. Denise Corderre.

Over the past ten years, "Enceinte? Inquiète?" has been contacted an average of eighty to one hundred times a year.

Admission to the evening is by either by making a monetary donation or by bringing a maternity item. Examples of the latter include diapers (all sizes), baby toiletries, sanitary napkins, a baby carrier, bath towels, baby milk, breast feeding pads, diaper carry bag.

For more information or to make a reservation, call (438) 930-8643.

Pregnant? Worried?

Support Désirée's Need

Désirée called us on Christmas Eve. Fourteen weeks pregnant and without food or shelter, she had found the Quebec Life Coalition’s free hotline number on the Internet and called us.

Since that first call, we have stayed in touch, both by phone and in person. On several occasions we met in coffee shops; twice I invited her and her partner to our office for a meal, and once I met them at a hospital.

There have also been periods of silence when my phone calls and text messages went unanswered, a sign of the struggles.

The lack of stability in Désirée’s life was palpable. Whether on the phone or in person, her voice shows signs of strain and it isn't unusual that she breaks down in tears. I’m sure her unborn child is feeling her mother's anxiety.

Things seemed to stabilize at the end of December. She and her partner found a place to stay in a shelter. Désirée was offered a private room, as were the other women, while he was placed in a men's dormitory. Meals were provided three times a day, although both told me that the portions were meager.

Unfortunately, the conditions at the shelter deteriorated. The residents were harsh with her and made fun of her pregnancy. Eventually, Désirée felt compelled to leave.

Not only does she have to contend with her pregnancy, but the lack of stability in her life, coupled with a low self-esteem, all contribute to a harsh battle Désirée faces. A couple of weeks ago, in a moment of panic, she went to a local hospital to ask for an abortion. Frustrated with the service she was receiving, she called us to vent and soon left the hospital with the child in tact.

She is currently staying in a rooming house where the fees are quite high. She was able to afford the first few days but has asked us for help for the rest of the month. Two benefactors have already stepped forward to defray a portion of her expenses. If you are able to help out, we, Désirée, and her unborn child would all be grateful.

A gift may be made by calling (514) 344-2686, or by an Interac money transfer to the email address [email protected] , or going to our website www.cqv.qc.ca and specifying “Désirée” in the empty box near your address when making the gift.

Last Friday, I took part in a francophone pastors’ meeting in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. This seasonal event brings together over 30 pastors and several faith organizations. The goal of these meetings is to create a better community and collaboration among churches in the area, as well as to address the particular needs and challenges that we face. I was happy to represent the pro-life work that we do at Quebec Life Coalition. It is great to see that despite the particularities of each church, Christians come together to better advance the kingdom of God in our cities. It is great to see that churches are open to the pro-life message and are not remaining silent at the fate of the pre-born in our country. 

Photo: Arpad Nagy

I am looking forward to an increased participation from all faith communities in the upcoming National March for Life in Ottawa (May 9^th) and in our own Quebec March for Life in Quebec City (May 31^st). To that effect, we would be happy to talk to church leaders about how to get involved in pro-life work as a church, and we’d love to give a pro-life presentation in your community. The March for Life is in around 4 months, and now is the time to start talking about it. Four months will pass quickly, so it would be great to see announcements in church bulletins soon!

Photo: Luc Angers. Luc Angers (director of UVVC and one of the event organizers) with one of the host from the church Le Centre in Orleans)

By Brian Jenkins (Quebec Life Coalition)

The start of our bi-annual prayer for the end of abortion is fast approaching.

40 Days for Life will begin on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, that is Ash Wednesday, and run through to Sunday, April 13 for a total of 40 consecutive days of pro-life advocacy.

HELPING TO END THE INJUSTICE OF ABORTION

During these forty days we will work to end the injustice of abortion through three proven and effective methods: 1. Prayer and fasting; 2. Constant vigil; and 3. Community Outreach.

The vigil will consist of a visible, public presence near an abortion business in our community. To this end, we will continue our long-standing tradition of holding the vigil at the corner of Berri and St. Catherine Streets. Not only is this location close to an abortion facility, but it is also highly visible.

Photo : luis molinero/Freepik

Federal elections are fast approaching. Although we do not yet know the exact time of the elections, there are several political actions that we can take to help the fate of pre-born children in our country. Some political actions are easy and costless, and if you’ve never done anything political before, I encourage you to take a small step today!

Here are 7 actionable items, some are bigger, some are smaller, but I challenge you to do at least one of them before the end of January. (If you haven't heard the news yet, you might be very surprised by #4!!!)

1- Sign up to become a candidate

Currently, most people in Quebec will not have a pro-life option on their ballot in the coming election (federal as well as provincial). Perhaps you can be the pro-life option! Currently, there are 2 federal parties that are asking for pro-life candidates: the Christian Heritage Party is actively recruiting candidates (the CHP is a fully pro-life federal party), and the people’s party is looking for candidates in around half of the 343 federal ridings (pro-life candidates for the PPC can run openly as pro-life). If no party inspires you, there is also the option of running as an independent.

2- Support a pro-life candidate.

Pro-life candidates will need help to run a successful campaign. Volunteering for even just a couple hours in your spare time is so appreciated by candidates and has a concrete effect in gaining votes. Campaign Life Coalition runs a website that identifies and compares candidates on their pro-life position - check it out here. (the page will be updated leading up the next election). If you do not find a pro-life candidate in your riding, send us an e-mail to ask about who is the closest to you.

3- Get involved in the CPC local association.

The conservative party of Canada will very likely for the next government. Being involved in your local association is important because members vote for their candidate, vote for policies at conventions and take part in much of the grassroots work of the party. A strong local pro-life presence will help our elected officials make the right decision when it comes to the fate of pre-born children. You can find out information on your local association here.

4- Support a pro-life candidate to become the next leader of the liberal party.

Did you know that the ban on pro-life candidates in the liberal party was a Trudeau policy and not a liberal party policy? Now that Justin Trudeau stepped down, we now have a candidate for the leadership of the party who is pro-life. His name is Michael Clark, and he checks all of the right boxes. Wouldn’t it be great if in the future, we had a pro-life prime minister? If you are not a member of another party, you can sign up to be a member of the liberal party for free to vote for a pro-life leader for the liberals. This is an extremely important and timely action. You can sign up to be a member here(www.liberal.ca/register). After signing up, there is a second timely action: this pro-life liberal candidate needs to collect signatures from liberal members to fully enter the leadership race. Please do so here (www.voteforMichaelClark.ca). Here is the paper nomination form that you can print out, scan and email back. 

5- Attend your municipal council meetings and school board meetings

We often talk about federal or provincial, but there are a lot of things happening closer to home. Municipal meetings can be boring, as a lot of it has to do with permits and by-laws. But we need to have a presence here too and build rapport with our municipal leaders. Library reading hours or cross walks and flags and much more are under municipal jurisdiction. For school boards, we need to watch the meetings to make sure that they don’t bring in policies that are dangerous to our children.   

6- Book us for a presentation or a meeting

We’d love to come talk to you about the pro-life work that we do. Reach out to us to book a meeting or a presentation. I am of the strong opinion that in-person interaction goes a lot further than virtual connection.

7- Engage with us on social media.

Help us to reach more people with our pro-life message! The best way to do so is to get your friends and family to sign up to receive our e-mails. They can do so here. You can also follow us on Facebook and share and like our posts. The social media algorithms might not always work in our favour, but it is a tool we need to better use to get our message out to more people. Also, if you haven't yet signed any of our latest petitions, you can do so here (and please share!)

We are also approachable by phone and e-mail, so don’t hesitate to contact us!          

By Brian Jenkins (Quebec Life Coalition)

One day this past week, I had three exchanges, albeit of short duration, all with ladies.

Visitor no. 1 – an elderly woman of about 65 years of age, stops in front of me and reads the sign I have hung around my neck before crossing the road. After a moment I asked her: “What do you think about abortion?” To my surprise, she replied: “What do YOU think about abortion?” I talked about the importance of respecting life from conception to a natural death, and she agreed. A few more words were exchanged and then she left.

Visitor no. 2 – a younger woman with a French accent got off the bus and waited for the light to change so she could cross. She gave me a contemptuous sideways glance and muttered: “Haven't you got anything better to do?” I replied: “What do you think about abortion?” to which she rudely replied, “Allez vous faire foutre !” and walked away.

The third lady, about the same age, who had also got off the same bus, overheard my exchange with the second lady and looked at me sympathetically. I said to her: “It happens every now and then.” To which she replied, “I think you are brave.”

By a grandmother - Photo: Pixabay

It’s almost Christmas, Premier Legault.

We Quebecers are getting ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus-Christ, the Saviour of the world, Emmanuel, “God with us” ... and it is during this Advent season that you have the absurd idea of saying that you are going to concoct a law to prevent us from praying in public?

No, Mr. Legault, that is not a good idea. If you are afraid that foreign religious customs will take up residence in the public space of Quebec — which remembers (“Je me souviens”) its Catholic Christian roots — it is not a vacuum that needs to be created, because religion, like nature, abhors vacuums. What we need to do is to fill the public space with religious carols and big, beautiful nativity scenes. It means allowing grandmothers to pray the rosary in the park while looking after their grandchildren, allowing the Good Friday pilgrimage to unfold in towns on Good Friday, allowing Corpus Christi processions to roam the streets around churches singing beautiful hymns and stopping at the resting place set up in the nearby park. It means allowing young people to organise walking pilgrimages, complete with songs, statues and banners, to the shrines of Quebec. It means allowing pro-lifers to pray in the streets to save women and children from the horror of abortion — and at the same time to save our people, threatened with extinction for lack of births. It means preserving the roadside crosses and the Virgin Mary grottoes that are scattered throughout our landscapes, and allowing your people to gather there to pray the Rosary in difficult times, as was done during COVID. It means never again closing the churches. It means putting back the crucifix in the National Assembly, crucifixes in schools, crucifixes in hospitals. We do not forget. “Je me souviens”.

Ah, Mr Legault, you have a long row to hoe, as you can see. We will pray for you during this time of waiting for the Saviour, and also in front of the manger on the anniversary of his birth. Merry Christmas, Mr. Legault! We will not forget you.

A grandmother who likes to say her rosary in the park while looking after her grandchildren

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.

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.