A group of parents in B.C. are adamantly opposed to the Burnaby school district enacting an LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying policy. Catholic school districts in Ontario want to ban rainbows and Gay-Straight Alliances. Charles McVety’s contention that LGBT-inclusive and -positive sex education “is truly sexually violating little boys and girls” is now being repeated (with nicer wording) as the conclusion of National Post columnists. Teach kids to coexist with gay and trans kids? You can’t do that.

Teach them to march in anti-abortion protests? Sure, why not?

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, students are being given full credits for doing so, and principal David Hood is considering making it an official school activity.

Christ the King School is a private Catholic school in St. Vital, Manitoba providing instruction to students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 8. It’s a funded independent school, which means that it receives 50 per cent of student tuition from the province.

The abortion debate has derailed U.S. economic policy, with a record 162 pieces of anti-abortion legislation passed in the first half of 2011 alone. Although the public is largely unaware of it, women’s health “Title X” funding was the central sticking point that Republicans were almost willing to shut down government and bankrupt the country over. Politicians have become so emboldened that some have gone to the next step and openly declared a “war on birth control.”

In Canada, there have been renewed efforts to eliminate all funding for International Planned Parenthood, even for women’s health initiatives in countries where abortion is banned. The United Way similarly came under fire for women’s health support and some Canadian hairstylists reportedly participated in a campaign to discuss pro-life beliefs with customers. The Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform has been picketing schools of all levels across southern and central Alberta and B.C. with graphic signs. Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated during the election that he wasn’t interested in reopening the debate about abortion. But he doesn’t have to, and Canadians no longer have that luxury.

Crossposted to The Bilerico Project and Dented Blue Mercedes.

Mercedes Allen

Mercedes Allen

Mercedes Allen is a writer, graphic designer and former activist living in Southern Alberta.