Quebec Study: Over 10% of Second Trimester Abortion Victims are Born Alive
The Story: A new study out of Quebec has found that over 11% of babies aborted in the second trimester from 1989 to 2020 were born alive following the abortion attempt. Of these babies, 90% died within the first three hours. According to LifeSiteNews, the report found that “only 24.5 percent of the babies born alive were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) while only 5.5 percent received palliative care.” The study also found that the rate of babies born alive following a second trimester abortion rose to over 20% between 2011 and 2021.
The Significance: The horrifying fact that thousands of children have been born alive after failed abortion attempts reveals yet another false foundation of the abortion movement: that there is a clear distinction between preborn fetus and newborn child. Pro-abortion ideology asserts that the preborn child, who is nothing more than “a clump of cells” at the time of an abortion, becomes a person with full value following a live birth. This is, of course, nonsense. In the case of born alive abortion survivors, this ideology would require us to believe that the fetus attacked during the abortion had no worth until the moment he was born alive, at which point he entered the world with infinite worth and died as a human child.
Against this, the Christian worldview asserts that the birth of a child is a significant stage in the development of a human being that began months before the child’s birthday. As a result, there is no magical moment during which a non-child fetus crosses through the birth canal and becomes a valuable human baby. Instead, a new human life is created at the moment of fertilization and is “knit together” (Ps. 139:13) in his mother’s womb until birth. We are rightly horrified that so many children have been born alive following failed abortions. However, we are horrified not because they accidentally became children in the moments before their death. We are horrified because they had been intricately knit together by God himself long before their birth and the murderous act of abortion mocks God by ending the life of his precious image bearer.
Read More: Clare Marie Merkowsky, LifeSiteNews, “Quebec study reveals over 10% of babies aborted in second trimester are born alive”
“Coutts Four” Members Found Not Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Murder
The Story: Late on the night of August 2, news broke that the final two members of the “Coutts Four” in custody were found not guilty of conspiracy to murder an RCMP officer. Chris Carbert and Anthony Olienick, who had both been repeatedly denied bail and were held in prison for over 2 years, were convicted of minor offenses involving firearm possession and mischief over $5,000. The other two members of the “Coutts Four”, Jerry Morin and Christopher Lysak, plead down to lesser firearms offenses in February of this year.
The allegations against the “Coutts Four” were cited by Prime Minister Trudeau as justification for enacting the Emergencies Act despite Freedom Convoy protestors decrying the alleged plans for violence.
The Significance: We do not need to support the actions or principles of these four men to know that they were treated unfairly and used as scapegoats by a government abusing its God-given authority. There are countless reports of criminals who committed violent acts, abused children, or even murdered others, and yet were granted bail—often to re-offend.Yet these men sat in prison for two years, only to be found not guilty.
This obvious abuse of power is dangerous not only because God demands that those in power “do no injustice in judgement” and “in righteousness [judge their] neighbour” (Lev 19:15), but also because these infractions destroy the trust that the people have in their representatives, their government, and their justice system. As Christians, we are commanded to “be subject to the governing authorities” at risk of our own judgement (Rom. 13:1-2). But if those authorities destroy trust and cause those they are meant to protect to stumble, what judgements do they bring upon themselves?
Read More: Ezra Levant, Rebel News, “NOT GUILTY! Jury acquits Coutts border blockaders of conspiracy to commit murder”
Statistics Canada: Canadian Seniors Struggling to Afford Living Costs
The Story: Statistics Canada reported by the CBC shows that 1 in 5 Canadian seniors who live in private residences are renters. The report also shows that many seniors are having difficulty affording basic necessities such as groceries, medication, and transportation. This reality comes as living costs have skyrocketed across Canada since Covid-19. One senior featured in the CBC story stated, “I don’t have anywhere to go, I don’t have anything to do, I don’t know anybody here, so most of the time I just sit around in an apartment I can’t really afford and worry.”
The Significance: Canada’s affordability crisis for seniors comes on the heels of devastating cultural developments. First, many of the Canadians who are now seniors came of age in the 1960s—an era when young men and women were encouraged to explore sexual promiscuity rather than pursuing a spouse and having children. As a result, many of these seniors are living with very few younger relatives who may be concerned for them. Sadly, even those who do have children and grandchildren see very little of them. Canada, like many modern Western societies, has inculcated a disgust into their young people for anything related to aging and death—graveyards are hidden from sight, nursing homes are rarely visited, and youth is exalted in the media as the peak of human existence.
Against this, the Bible contains many principles we must pay attention to, including the command to “honor your father and your mother” (Ex. 20:12) and the Preacher’s reminder that It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart” (Ecc. 7:2). One of the Christian’s responsibilities is to reckon with the reality of death, storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, while serving those who are nearing death in this life. We cannot do that if we are too scared of death and youthlessness to care for our own aging relatives.
Read More: Natalie Stechyson, CBC News, “A ‘hopeless’ feeling: Struggling seniors face sky-high rents and few, if any, options”
Quick Hits
Prostitution Law Under Review by Supreme Court: The Canadian Supreme Court, which has made a habit of declaring common-sense laws “unconstitutional” will hear an appeal from two men convicted of sex trafficking charges. Mikhail Kloubakov, et al. v. His Majesty the King stems from a 2021 conviction of two men who worked for a prostitution ring by luring women into the sex trade. The two men, Mikhail Kloubakov and Hicham Moustaine, claim that the law under which they were convicted is unconstitutional. The Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act is widely regarded as Harper’s greatest achievement on social issues, and was upheld as constitutional only last year.
Read More: Mark Penninga, Reformed Perspective, “Prostitution laws challenged at Supreme Court of Canada”
Defamation Case Against Radical Pro-Abortion Advocate to Proceed: Pro-Life group 40 Days for Life will be allowed to sue pro-abortion activist Brooke Dietrich after her anti-SLAPP motion was thrown out. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) is legislation designed to protect freedom of speech from “lawfare” and provides broad—some argue excessive—protection from being sued for defamation. However, the Courts ruled that Dietrich went well beyond the limits of opinion speech by creating and posting videos which instructed her followers on how to interfere with the operations of 40 Days for Life. This was deemed “qualitatively different from counter-speech” and potentially defamatory toward the pro-life group. 40 Days for Life will be allowed to continue their defamation case.
Read More: Joseph Brean, The National Post, “Anti-abortion group can sue activist after Ontario court rejects anti-SLAPP defence”
A Truth To Consider
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8