Dear Mr Eggen, May 21, 2018
You were concerned that the Red Deer Catholic School Division was possibly misusing tax dollars by paying for students to voluntarily attend the March for Life. You said,
“Frankly, I don’t believe protesting women’s fundamental rights is a good use of student time. Nor do I think it’s the best use of school resources – which should be directed to the classroom as much as possible,” Eggen said. “Our government has a strong record of protecting Alberta women’s reproductive health choices. That’s why we introduced legislation to help women access abortion services without fear of interference, harassment, or intimidation.”
Ok. We hear what you're saying, but you are wrong on a few points. The first point is that lobbying for an unborn baby's right to life is "protesting women's fundamental rights". Anne Marie Watson, Board chair for the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools responded by saying, "“Perhaps the Minister’s understanding of what the event is about is causing some concern. Maybe he needs to do a little bit more research into what the event actually is about, because it is not a protest against women’s rights.”
Looking at the website for the March for Life we can see that the event claims of itself: The Alberta March for Life Association is an independent pro-life group whose mission is to promulgate the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death and the dignity of disabled people.
Our main objective is to conduct an annual peaceful outdoor march where invited speakers would speak about pro-life issues, to share information, and raise public awareness.
We welcome all persons who support pro-life ideals and are open to partnering and cooperating with organizations which promote and advance our mission.
When you throw in words like: fear, harassment or intimidation, you know that you are capable of getting an emotional response out of people. This is irresponsible. As a government minister of anything, most certainly Education, you must make statements that brim with accuracy and logic, not emotional appeals. Was anybody at the March for Life harassing anybody, causing intimidation or fear? No. It was rather un-sensational in that regard. But it was a chance for students to learn to articulate the pro-life side of the debate. Learning was happening. Learning that lines up with the Caholic moral compass. As I have written you previously, you clearly have a strong sense of right and wrong in certain areas, but don't impose your values on those of us with a generally Christian or specifically Catholic set of values.
Sincerely,
Catherine van Kampen
https://rdnewsnow.com/article/583383/catholic-board-chair-defends-march-life-field-trip
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