Press Release
National Student Organization Outraged at Censorship on Canadian University Campuses

National pro-life student leaders are deriding what has been described as a “disturbing trend” to silence the pro-life message on campuses across Canada. Sarah Buckle, executive director of National Campus Life Network (NLCN), said, “Pro-choice student politicians and campus bureaucrats have sent out a message for all to hear: ‘pro-choice’ is the only acceptable dogma on the abortion issue, and anyone who disagrees must be silenced.  That is appalling.”
           
Within the past month, two campus pro-life clubs in Canada have been denied club status because of their view that abortion is wrong. Pro-life students at the University of British Columbia Okanagan and Capilano College in Vancouver have all been refused club status by their campuses.  Most recently, Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) has severely restricted pro-life club activity with its recent motion: “CUSA further affirms that actions such as campaigns, distributions, solicitations, lobbying efforts, displays, events, etc. that seek to limit or remove a woman's options in the event of pregnancy will not be supported.”
           
The Canadian Federation of Students, who claim to represent over a half million University students across Canada, are pro-choice as a matter of policy. Many of those students, however, are strongly pro-life. “This is a disturbing trend,” says Buckle.  “It is now clear that certain Canadian campuses have become ideological dictatorships. Students who disagree with their leaders are not allowed to express their views. This is a violation of the fundamental human right to free speech. A University should be an open forum for debating serious issues guided by the rules of academic freedom. Instead what we have is a political farce that is subject to the whims of a few biased bureaucrats.”
           
NCLN is currently looking into further means of protecting the rights of pro-life students.  They point out that a significant portion of campus populations, including the majority of Muslims, Christians, and Jews, hold, as a matter of religious faith and natural reason, that abortion is seriously wrong.  “If student governments are really pro-choice,” says Buckle, “I don’t see what problem they have with both sides of the debate being heard. Their behaviour is extremely suspicious.” NCLN encourages concerned students to contact their campus leaders about these issues.
           
NCLN is an umbrella organization that connects young pro-life student leaders from campuses across the country.  More information can be found on their website, www.ncln.ca.