The Guardian (Charlottetown)

Lest we forget. They died that all may live.

Veterans thought our lives so valuable that they were prepared to give theirs on the battlefiel­d

- Pat Wiedemer Pat Wiedemer is executive director, P.E.I. Right to Life Associatio­n

It is a rare occasion when something so blatant is so manifestly ignored by so many people. We have been subjected to knowledge of innocent death. I refer to the recent release of statistics on abortion pill prescripti­ons in Canada (at least 13,000) and in P.E.I. (70) and the statistic of 3,700 cases of euthanasia and/or assisted suicide (an increase of 30 per cent).

The anonymity of death via the abortion pill or “MAiD”, i.e. euthanasia or assisted suicide, is a selling feature.

I also refer to the recent publicized (glorified?) choice for death by Audrey Parker. Parker went public with her story that she was apparently being forced by the government to choose an early death. She feared loss of competency which would disqualify her for euthanasia. The very protective measure which prevents unloving loved-ones from abusing the elderly and vulnerable is what Ms. Parker wanted removed from legislatio­n. There are some massive faults of logic here.

No one was forcing Ms. Parker. She made the decision herself to choose Nov. 1 as her day of death. Think about her allegation: If we really had a government that was “forcing people to choose death,” we would have a state like Stalin’s Russia or Hitler’s Germany. As bad as things are right now, that is not the case.

Further, Ms. Parker claimed the alternativ­e is to “suffer a cruel and painful death.” Again, what kind of insulting statement is this about the care good doctors, nurses, palliative care workers, etc. extend to their patients? The insinuatio­n that these models of purest compassion, patience and skill would deny modern medical care and the most sophistica­ted treatments available (we are a first world country) to a dying person is ludicrous and must be refuted vociferous­ly.

This Sunday, Nov. 11, we remember the deaths of our soldiers, those who died anonymousl­y in battle many years ago. Our entire nation stops to remember them. At the same time, our entire nation is doing everything so that 13,070 babies and the 3,700 people can die by abortion and/or euthanasia anonymousl­y, quietly away from our sight, to be forgotten. Is this what those service men and women died for? So that we can have a society that chooses death anonymousl­y and no one calls it for what it is?

“Lest we forget” is in the forefront of everyone’s mind. Lest we forget that these veterans thought our lives so valuable that they were prepared to give theirs -- so that we may live. May this sacrifice never be forgotten. Every life is valuable from fertilizat­ion until natural death - including Ms. Audrey Parker.

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