For immediate release
Abbotsford, BC – The main lawn at the Abbotsford campus of the University of the Fraser Valley is covered with 10,000 small pink and blue flags today. Each flag represents 10 pre-born children who are aborted in Canada every year. Although statistics are difficult to confirm with certainty because two provinces (including British Columbia) censor all abortion information, there are approximately 100,000 abortions in Canada every year. That is the equivalent of about 5,000 classrooms filled with children.
Dozens of community volunteers associated with UFV Life Link and WeNeedaLAW.ca set up the educational display early this morning and will be taking it down this afternoon.
“We are doing this to show to our community the momentous impact that abortion has on our community and nation,” explained event organizer Michelle Krabbendam.
“In Canada abortion is legal throughout an entire pregnancy for any reason. Even girls are aborted just because they are female,” said Krabbendam. “We want to use the flag display to educate students and build support for laws that prevent discrimination based on size, age, or sex.”
The flag display is set up in various communities around the province dozens of times per year and is a novel method of initiating conversation and bringing awareness to an important social justice issue.
“We are encouraged that UFV Life Link is making use of this important public display and engaging students at the University of the Fraser Valley,” said Mike Schouten, the director of WeNeedaLAW.ca.
“Our political leaders continue to treat pre-born children as a liability but most Canadians have no idea that there are at least 100,000 abortions every year in Canada.
“When Canadians are informed that there are no legal protections for children in the womb, at any stage of pregnancy, a majority consistently say pre-born children should be protected by the law.”
The flag display will be set up on the main lawn of UFV Abbotsford campus until 2:30pm