Come defend the unborn

Last year was my first time attending the National March for Life.

I didn’t know what to expect because with the national and provincial borders being closed, only people from Ontario could attend. There was still a big turnout. Everyone was so kind and friendly. While marching, a group of young girls invited me to walk with them. It was so inspiring to see so many people fighting for change in this country. Sometimes it can feel exhausting and overwhelming wondering if we can ever make Canada pro-life again by changing hearts and minds, but coming to the March for Life shows that you are not alone.

This year’s National March for Life is going to be on Thursday, May 12 on Parliament Hill, starting at 12:30 pm. The march happens on Parliament Hill to show our Members of Parliament that we aren’t going anywhere. The abortion debate is not closed in Canada and we will keep being a voice for the voiceless.

The theme is “I AM” because existence is always enough. “I AM” means to me that I am going to fight for human rights for all human beings. I am pro-life from conception to natural death. I am going to do whatever it takes to end abortion and euthanasia in Canada. Everyone deserves assisted living, not assisted death. Everyone deserves the right to life.

The day before the March for Life is the youth summit at St. Mary’s Church in Ottawa, starting at 2:30 pm. Everyone ages 13-29 years old, regardless of religious background, is invited to attend in person. The summit is hosted by Campaign Life Coalition and Niagara Region Right to Life.

After being locked down for two years, this is a great opportunity to meet people your age with the same passion for saving the preborn. In the pro-life community, you can make lifelong friendships. There will be amazing speakers with a question and answer period afterwards. If you are pro-life but don’t know how to get more involved in the movement, this is your opportunity to learn how you can change hearts and minds on the subject to help not only make abortion illegal, but unthinkable. You can make a difference and you are not alone. As youth, it is our job to influence our peers to stand up for what is right.

After the youth summit, there will be a candlelight procession from St. Mary’s Church to the human rights monument for the 9 p.m. candlelight vigil for the victims of abortion. Abortion is the biggest human rights violation we face today. There is no better place to have our candlelight vigil than in front of the human rights monument. Every human being deserves human rights. Human rights should begin when the human life begins. We know that life begins at conception and that every abortion intentionally ends an innocent human being’s life.

After two years of lockdowns, come in person to the National March for Life and Youth Summit. You won’t want to miss attending.

Life is a precious gift from God. As Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”

(Headley is a Campaign Life Coalition Youth Ambassador based in Aurora, Ont.)