More than 100 Canadian anti-abortion and anti-euthanasia activists gathered in Calgary to Cultivating a Culture of Life: A Pro-Life Action Conference.

Taking place at Bethel United Reform Church from November 7-9, the summit co-hosted by the Canadian Center for Bioethics Reform (CCBR) and the Alberta Life Issues Educational Society (ALIES) will include plenary presentations, breakout sessions groups and round tables.

Cameron Côté, director of western outreach for CCBR who is leading two of the general assembly sessions, told the Catholic Register in Canada that the time is right for such a conference to capitalize on the growing interest in pro-life commitment that CCBR and ALIES leaders observe at work.

“We found an all-in-one opportunity for people to learn about the different opportunities within the pro-life movement in Canada that they can get involved in, whether it be in education , politics or counseling,” said Côté.

Newcomers are one of the target audiences. The other group organizers hope to involve are activists looking to re-enter the arena after becoming inactive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An opening banquet will kick off the conference on November 7. Keynote speaker Jonathon Van Maren, director of communications for the CCBR, is expected to provide an overview of the cultural and historical figures and events that gave Canada the dubious status of a nation embracing a culture of death. It will also examine promising opportunities that the pro-life movement could exploit in this contemporary landscape.

Côté begins the first full day of the symposium with a session in which he will advise groups on developing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely (SMART) goals and assess whether certain campaigns or programs are generating a strong return on investment. He will also close the November 8 program with a workshop on how to change hearts and minds about abortion.

Association for Reformed Political Action Executive Director Mike Schouten, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Executive Director Alex Schadenberg, and former ALIES Executive Director Gabrielle Johnson also guide the plenary sessions. Schouten gives instructions on how to build effective relationships with politicians; Schadenberg will discuss how to win the assisted suicide debate; and Johnson will offer insight on how to reach pro-abortion women.

In addition to the headliners, Côté said there is an impressive roster of pro-life advocates who guide the breakout sessions. He highlighted Dr. Ted Fenske, a cardiologist and researcher in medicine and public Christianity at the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity who teaches at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

“He will talk about the abortion pill regimen and the increased access and preference for the abortion pill in Canada and other abortion patients when it comes to contraception,” Côté said. “I think it’s important because as the abortion pill becomes more and more prevalent in Canadian society, we not only need to know the risks of giving a person an abortion and giving birth at home. »

Jeff Thompson, associate pastor at Calvary Chapel in Langley, B.C., is another speaker Côté said he was excited to hear. Thompson transformed the chapel into a Love Life House of Refuge church as he mobilized his congregation to help women in crisis pregnancy choose life and heal from an abortion procedure.

“He took leadership at the Church level,” Côté said. “I find that churches, whether Catholic or not, have often struggled to adopt a distinct pro-life ministry within their church. Many people will contribute to external pro-life ministries. I know this is an important function for groups like the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Women’s League. However, I think Pastor Thompson has done an excellent job, aided by a number of other ministries, (creating something) distinct.

This item was first published by The Catholic Register in Canada and is reproduced here with permission.