Controversial genocide-themed anti-abortion lecture comes to campus, Women’s Centre mobilizes

The U of T Women’s Centre has issued a call to action after University of Toronto Students for Life (UTSFL) announced that it will be hosting a lecture entitled “Abortion is Genocide” on Tuesday, October 5.

The lecture, to be delivered by Stephanie Gray, Executive Director of the pro-life Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR), seeks to highlight the rationale behind CBR’s controversial Genocide Awareness Program (GAP), and further justify the hotly contested usage of the term “genocide” to describe the legal practice of abortion.

Traveling GAP displays featuring graphic images of aborted fetuses alongside of Holocaust footage, KKK lynches, and other historic atrocities, are one of CBR’s primary initiatives. The exhibits, which have appeared on various Canadian and US university campuses, attempt to arouse revolt in the viewer by the careful re-contextualization of powerful images drawn from collective memory.

In addition to protests from women’s and pro-choice groups, the displays have been mired in controversy, as many viewers object to the re-appropriation of these historical images. Following a GAP exhibit at U of T in March 2004, Jewish student group Hillel issued a request for an apology after several students expressed anger at the use of Holocaust imagery in the display. No apology was made.

The Women’s Centre remarked in a recent press release that “it is deeply offensive that attitudes like this are given the opportunity to be spread on our university campus” and are attempting to assemble a pro-choice presence at the lecture.

“Abortion is Genocide” takes place at 5:00pm, Brennan Hall (Rm.200), St. Michael’s College. UTSFL welcomes all students, both pro- and anti-abortion.

-Dennis Choquette

Blue Rodeo Archive

Canadian icons Blue Rodeo have entered the academic hall of fame, with the recent donation of extensive archival material chronicling their 20 year history.

The collection, which will be stored permanently at the new Woodsworth College residence, features 3,500 photographs and memorabilia, extensive video footage and unreleased live recordings.

The Blue Rodeo archive project should be accessible by November.

-DC