The CBC estimated the turnout at about 10,000. The RCMP estimate was 12,000. The organizers estimated the crowd at approximately 25,000, citing substantial increase in numbers over past years, which was clearly noticeable. The record high turnout is
evidenced not only by these Hillcam shots, but also by the fact that about
2,000 participants were prevented from joining the March. The police was simply not ready for
that many marchers - which clearly shows that the number of participants was much higher than 20,000.
But even if we take the RCMP's "half-estimate" (as Sun News did in its coverage,) that still makes the March for Life the biggest protest rallies that takes place on the Parliament Hill. With the true numbers, its turnout will probably outnumber all other protests put together. So, where's the mainstream media in all that? Well, what do you think?
The theme for this year's March for Life was "'It's a girl' should not be a death sentence". Coincidentally, on the very same day, Mark Warawa, the pro-life MP who filed the motion condemning sex-selection abortions, was finally given the opportunity to speak up against female gendercide in the House of Commons.
“Female gendercide is the systematic killing of women and girls, just because they’re girls,” said Warawa in a statement prior to question period.
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As the massive crowd outside Parliament began their March through the streets of Ottawa, Warawa called the discrimination against girls through sex-selective abortion “barbaric.”
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In seeming solidarity with pro-lifers who came to Ottawa to be a voice for those who have no voice, Warawa said to the House: “Mr. Speaker, the statement ‘it’s a girl’ shouldn’t be a death sentence.”
Twenty-one Members of Parliament and two Senators participated and spoke to the crowd...
Bev Shipley, Conservative MP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, said the March for Life is the most important event on Parliament Hill every year. “There is none, there is none as significant as this one, supporting the dignity and the sustainability of life,” he said.
David Anderson, Conservative MP for Cypress Hills – Grasslands, said the MPs “will stand with you and move ahead on this issue.”
“There are no good reasons to be aborting babies and there are 100,000 good reasons why we should stand with mothers and fathers who are faced with a difficult choice each year,” he added.
Conservative MP Mark Warawa pledged to continue his battle against sex-selective abortion. “Together we will keep up the fight and we will win,” he said.
Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth said, “We’re here today to convince Parliament that human equality and human dignity are more important than any political interest. And I’m counting on you to take that message back with you all across Canada.”
That may be just a minor faction in the Conservative party, but it sends a clear message that the abortion issue is nowhere near settled and the debate goes on whether the pro-aborts like it or not.