WHAT DOES CFC-CANADA DO? CFC-Canada is largely an advocacy group. We are pro-choice Catholics who can speak up for reproductive rights and for the primacy of conscience. The position of the institutional Catholic Church on abortion and birth control does not reflect the moral beliefs of most of its members. Notwithstanding this, the Catholic Church seeks to impose its views on public institutions and in the law and public policy of this country and Internationally. It is essential that a pro-choice Catholic group exists, in order to demonstrate that the Catholic Church hierarchy does not reflect the majority view of "Catholics in the pew". Some of the recent activities of CFC-Canada include: FOURTH WORLD UN CONFERENCE ON WOMEN (BEIJING 1995) FIVE YEAR REVIEW The review was held in June 2000 and the Vatican, which has a seat in the UN with "observer status" developed alliances with other right wing religious groups in an attempt to undermine the Consensus on women's rights that was reached in Beijing (189 countries arrived at a Platform for Action and demonstrated an international commitment to equality, development and peace for women all over the world. CFC-Canada lobbied the Canadian delegates to encourage them to withstand the Vatican's maneuvering. A Toronto based working group also contacted the media and let them know that although the Vatican may try to block advances on women's rights, this move is not supported by most Catholics. "SEE CHANGE" CAMPAIGN." CFC-Canada supports the "See Change" campaign, in which it is sought to revoke the special status that the Vatican has at the UN, and that is not enjoyed by any other religion. The views of the Catholic Church should be advanced as a non-governmental organization, like other religions and not as a state. Find Out About The "See Change" Campaign CHALLENGE TO THE TORONTO CATHOLIC SCHOOL BOARD'S USE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN TO COLLECT MONEY FOR AN ANTI-ABORTION GROUP AT HALLOWEEN. The Toronto Catholic District School Board, following the Vatican's lead, has decided to end support to UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund) at Halloween. Instead of allowing trick-or-treating children to carry UNICEF boxes, the Toronto Catholic School Board agreed to allow the children to carry boxes to collect money for "Aid to Women". CFC-Canada denounced this move, and exposed "Aid to Women" as an anti-abortion group whose members harass and intimidate girls and women who try to enter a legal abortion clinic in downtown Toronto. The name "Aid to Women" is misleading and without the information provided by CFC-Canada, people donating at Halloween may have thought that the money was to go to a women's shelter. Indeed many principals and teachers at Catholic elementary schools were of the same mistaken belief. Click here to see brief presented Feb., 06/2003 AMALGAMATION OF CATHOLIC HOSPITALS AND PUBLIC HOSPITALS As health care funding is increasingly reduced, there has been a move to merge the administration of hospitals, which often means that a Catholic hospital board can demand that services formerly provided at the public hospital will be cancelled (abortions, birth control counseling, condom distribution). CFC-Canada has joined coalitions to lobby the government to retain these essential reproductive and sexual health care services. To Contact Us Catholics For A Choice - Canada P.O. Box 65179 Toronto, Ontario M4K 1W2 Phone: (705) 768-2514 Email: info@catholicsforchoice.ca Coordinator: Rosemary Ganley rosemaryganley@hotmail.com tel 705 748 9756