The importance of the National March for Life is as great as it ever was.

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By Johanne Brownrigg

This year, Canada’s 20th National March for Life (May 11, 2017) occurs during the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation; two important milestones in our country. The March’s theme, “Life: We Stand on Guard for Thee,” captures the essence of the pro-life movement, its tenacity and purpose. We celebrate what is good about our great nation, but not without reminding Canadians that the unborn have been abandoned by our politicians and other leaders. While our nation is silent, we have to be a voice for those who are not heard.

The National March for Life protests the majority indifference to abortion. It is our opportunity to unite the pro-life movement and draw strength from each other to carry on the battle. It is making visible what is invisible, which makes our responsibility to attend, even greater.

I remember well bringing my babies in their strollers and, as they grew up, pulling my children out of school to attend. Where else should a mother be but the National March for Life?

Our numbers witness every single year, rain or shine, so that the blind may see and the deaf hear. Photo by Craig Macartney.

Once I came on staff at Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), the moral imperative to attend did not increase—that was always there—but the need to proclaim it did. Who will speak for the unborn if not the born? It’s what pro-lifers do. It is what we ask our law makers to do.

Pro-life culture shows compassion to single moms in many ways, through the tireless work of mostly volunteers. Pro-lifers provide crisis pregnancy counseling, emotional support, practical support, as well as healing post-abortion counseling. All this while the political arm of the movement lobbies for governments to give legal protection to the unborn. As a cultural force we are not a gong booming; we are love.

But the broader culture is self-serving and self-focused. Breaking through the din requires some noise. The importance of the National March for Life is as great as it ever was. We need the speeches. We need the banners. We need the signs. We need the clergy. We need the members of Parliament.

We need YOU.

The March’s theme, “Life: We Stand on Guard for Thee,” captures the essence of the pro-life movement, its tenacity and purpose. Photo courtesy of Campaign Life Coalition.

Our numbers witness every single year, rain or shine, so that the blind may see and the deaf hear. The March is a protest that seeks to disturb the status quo so that hearts and minds can be swayed and laws written.

But the March is more than a protest. The evening of the March for Life, CLC hosts the Rose Dinner. We bring in outstanding speakers to inspire and encourage attendees. We’ve brought in Carol Evert, Lila Rose, Rebecca Keissling, Steven Mosher, Obianuju Ekeocha (Uju), and Eric Metaxas.

For the March’s 20th anniversary (May 11, 2017), we insisted that Jim Hughes, CLC’s National President, be the keynote speaker. Looking back with insight and looking forward fearlessly, he is bound to shock and inspire you by all he has seen and heard during his 30 years in this fight.

Ultimately, the March and Rose Dinner are about unmasking the truth, so the world sees what it refuses to see. CLC returns to the drawing board, year after year, to organize the March knowing what it would mean if it disappeared and just how it would look to the media and politicians.

Join us this year, again or for the first time. Protest publically. Pray publically. March to witness publically that “we stand on guard” for life.

For more information about the March for Life or to register for the Rose Dinner visit Campaign Life Coalition’s site. Early bird ticket prices end April 30.

Johanne Brownrigg is Campaign Life Coalition’s federal government relations officer. She sees the impact of Canada’s pro-life culture every day.