MOOSE JAW — Pro-life supporters should practice the virtues of perseverance, courage and “speaking truth to power” when facing a society and government that are hostile to life-focused messages, a pro-freedom lawyer says.
“This cultural decline, it’s an ongoing battle (and) we cannot turn it around in the next few days or weeks or even months. This is a battle that’s going to take years,” John Carpay, lawyer and president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), told more than 140 people during Moose Jaw Right to Life’s recent banquet.
Concerned parents will have to take back the authority to raise their children as they see fit, including teaching them how to think and what is right and wrong, he continued.
Furthermore, these efforts must give children a better education that focuses on the classics of Western civilization, such as Aristotle, Plato, Augustine, Aquinas and other great thinkers, the JCCF president remarked. These efforts must also teach children not to trust governments so much.
Carpay compared the government to fire, electricity and sex: they have useful purposes and are good within certain guardrails, but become a threat when they escape those limits.
“… when government goes outside of those boundaries, we have to say no, we have to put our foot down and we have to fight back and we have to stand up for our freedom,” he added.
Carpay encouraged people to become involved in the democratic process, including being active in education — there are many “horrible school boards all over Canada” pushing transgender ideology — and in politics at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.
He discouraged pro-values people from complaining or seeing themselves as victims when school boards push these ideologies. Instead, he told them to “roll up your sleeves” and work to remove such school trustees by running in board elections.
“The first time that you run, you may fall flat on your face and might have to lick your wounds and go back at it three years later,” Carpay added. “But three years later, when you try again, you’ll be more experienced (and) you’ll have a better campaign.”
Pro-lifers usually face legal attacks on their freedom of speech when promoting their views, which is where the JCCF steps in, Carpay said. He pointed out that free speech means nothing if you can’t offend others, which is why it is constitutionally protected and why pro-freedom people must have thick skin in these situations.
“For those who hate the truth, truth sounds like hate,” he added.
The lawyer pointed out that Canadians who are members of political parties have more influence in those groups, so pro-lifers should also consider joining. If people don’t become involved in politics, then he pointed out, as a French proverb says, “politics will be done unto you.”
Most politicians are followers, which was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, where many people demanded their local politicians to keep the lockdowns going, “take away more of our freedoms and let it go on and forever,” Carpay continued.
The lockdowns’ length may have been reduced if pro-freedom people had spoken up and said the measures were harmful and damaging, he added. However, it was also a surge of people who contributed to the removal of the lockdowns.
Carpay commended Moose Jaw Right to Life’s leaders and volunteers for practising the virtues of courage and perseverance. He admired and respected what they were doing to improve the community and Canada.
“I know that we’re going to win in the end because truth always vanquishes the lie, because freedom ultimately prevails over tyranny, and because ultimately, justice is going to crush injustice,” he added. “We’re Canadians and we know that it is better to die standing than to live on our knees.”
During his presentation, Carpay also discussed some pro-life-focused court cases he’s been involved in over the years. Many of those files can be found at www.jccf.ca.
