Campus pro-life group launches webinar series

The quarantine measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 have ground the National Campus Life Network’s (NCLN) face-to-face activism to a halt, but not its voice.

With university campuses across the country shut down, the Canadian pro-life organization has launched a web initiative to spread its anti-abortion message.

The EXTRA Pro-life Show, a seven-part public webinar series, launched April 1, featuring conversations with figures from organizations actively tackling abortion in Canada.

“Our public webinars take a focus on speaking to the average pro-life person in Canada who has questions about how they can be the best pro-life advocate they can be at this time,” said Ruth Shaw, the executive director of the NCLN.

Each new episode of the show will stream live every Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST up to May 13. However, Shaw said the series could extend past that date.

Access to the video discussions is by registration only at the NCLN.ca website.

Shaw’s colleague, Ben Matychuk, the provincial co-ordinator for the NCLN’s Alberta branch, moderated the first discussion with guest Scott Hayward, a co-founder of RightNow, an organization mobilizing Canadians to vote for pro-life politicians.

Hayward devoted his air time as a guest towards describing the landscape of the Conservative Party of Canada leadership race that is currently suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“The most important idea I wanted to communicate was what can pro-lifers in Canada do to help our pro-life leadership candidates, especially during this viral outbreak quarantine period,” said Hayward.

Hayward is hoping Canadians pay attention to the NCLN project as it evolves.

“Instead of watching Tiger King on Netflix, tune into this show and equip yourself with the skills to be an advocate during and after the quarantine period so you can advance the pro-life cause,” he said.

Upcoming editions of The EXTRA Pro-life show include:

• April 15: Cam Cote of the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform: “Abortion Victim Photography: Yes or No?”

• April 22:  Stephanie Gray of Love Unleashes Life: “The School of Pro-life Apologetics.”

• April 29: Mary Helen Moes of Aid to Women and Gabrielle Johnson of Edmonton’s Back Porch: “Sharing Space with Abortion Clinics — Stories from 11th-Hour Workers.”

• May 6: Jonathon Van Maren of CCBR: “Pornography and Abortion: Is There a Link?”

• May 13: NCLN’s Shaw discussing  “Relational Strategies in a Pro-Abortion Culture.”

Shaw is particularly excited about moderating the discussion with Moes and Johnson on April 29.

“Their organizations share space with abortion clinics in Canada. We will talk to them about what 11th-hour ministry is like for these organizations working to change hearts and minds at the last minute.”

Running concurrently to this public video series are private webinars for NCLN’s activists on 21 Canadian post-secondary campuses.