'March For Life' in Ottawa sees advocates take aim at Carney and Poilievre

OTTAWA — Thousands of pro-life demonstrators gathered on Parliament Hill on Thursday to make their voices heard on abortion and MAID — and to take shots at political leaders on both sides of the spectrum. While this year’s rally theme was “Protection at Conception,” another theme emerged: the recent federal election. While according to the CLC, the number of pro-life MPs increased to 42, many of the organization’s members expressed disappointment about the election results. “While (Prime Minister) Mark Carney throws up elbows, we defend the innocents,” said Jeff Gunnarson, the CLC’s national president, at the rally. Criticism of Carney was constant throughout the event, with speakers taking aim at him and his party. “Prime Minister Mark Carney presents a direct threat to every pre-born human being,” said Josie Luetke, the CLC’s director of education and advocacy, at a pre-rally press conference on Wednesday. “He is rejecting human equality and is repeating past mistakes of the party.” Still, CLC members made a point that they are still willing to find some areas of agreement with Carney. “Mr. Carney, will you at least meet us on the periphery by pledging a Born Alive Infant Protection Act to mandate the provision of life-saving neo-natal care and medical assistance for babies who survive abortion and prosecutions for medical staff who violate the law,” said Jack Fonseca, the CLC’s director of political operations, on Wednesday. Pierre Poilievre was also put on the hot seat at the march. “I would encourage you to denounce the corrupt practice of appointing Conservative candidates without a nomination vote by the party’s grassroots members,” Fonseca said. “In the 2025 election cycle, you allowed the cancellation of at least 110 nomination contests in favour of appointing your preferred candidates. “This is one of the reasons you lost this federal election.” Additionally, pro-choice demonstrators went to the hill as part of the “Rally for Choice.” In a statement about the rally, Defend Choice, the organization running the counterprotests, said that they were there to remind everyone that “choice is not up for debate.” The National March for Life has become an annual tradition, with the Campaign Life Coalition holding the rally annually for 28 years. The event is held in early May, to mark the anniversary of the day abortion was decriminalized in Canada on May 14, 1969. National Post Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.