#Canada – Thousands of pro-life advocates converged on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday for the 29th annual National March for Life, the largest such demonstration in Canada, under the theme “Follow Me,” drawn from the Gospel of Matthew.
Organized by Campaign Life Coalition and March for Life Canada, the event marked the 57th anniversary of the 1969 legalization of abortion in Canada. Rally organizers and speakers called for legal protections for human life from conception to natural death, while criticizing Canada’s lack of abortion restrictions since 1988 and the expansion of the country’s assisted suicide program since 2015.
Starting in 2027, Canada will legalize assisted suicide for those with mental health issues. Additionally, a shared video on social media of Quebec doctor Louis Roy suggesting that assisted death could be an appropriate option for severely ill newborns circulated online in the past month. This video drew outcry from critics that believe the assisted death program is going too far.
The rally on Parliament Hill began around 12:30 p.m. under overcast skies, drawing a large crowd that filled the lawn. Speakers included Campaign Life Coalition President Jeff Gunnarson, who told attendees that “Canada can do better. Canada must do better,” and emphasized the value and dignity of every human life. Other participants shared personal stories related to abortion and MAID.
MP Arnold Viersen of Alberta expressed solidarity with pro-life rallies nationwide. Rebecca Kiessling, an American advocate conceived in rape, spoke about her experiences and advocacy for protection without exceptions. The program also featured faith leaders and youth voices.
Following the rally, participants marched through downtown Ottawa streets, causing expected traffic disruptions in the core. Organizers reported strong turnout, with past events having drawn up to 25,000 people. A minor incident involved a Liberal MP holding a counter-sign, which drew reactions from the crowd.
In British Columbia’s capital, hundreds of pro-life supporters, including large groups from Metro Vancouver parishes and Christian schools, marched from Centennial Square to the B.C. Legislature on the same day.
The 29th rally began with Catholic Masses and a Protestant prayer service. Marchers proceeded down Government Street, with some singing hymns and praying in unison. The rally at the legislature featured speakers including Vancouver Archbishop Richard Smith. The event was sponsored by B.C. pro-life groups, the Knights of Columbus, and ARPA Canada, with participation from multiple dioceses.
Activities in Victoria included a noon Mass at St. Andrew’s Cathedral and concluded with a ticketed dinner. Similar provincial marches and events took place in other Canadian cities on or around May 14.
The coordinated rallies highlighted ongoing calls from pro-life organizations for policy changes to protect the unborn and vulnerable populations, drawing participants of all ages, including many families and young people.
Canada’s assisted suicide program recorded another year of growth in 2024, with 16,499 people receiving assisted death, according to the federal government’s Sixth Annual Report released in November 2025.
The figure represented a 6.9 per cent increase from 15,343 provisions in 2023 and accounted for approximately 5.1 per cent of all deaths in Canada that year — or roughly one in every 20 deaths. Since the program’s legalization in June 2016, a total of 76,475 Canadians had died through euthanasia by the end of 2024.
Health Canada described the annual growth rate as slowing compared to earlier years, when increases often exceeded 30 per cent. Officials noted signs of stabilization but cautioned that more data would be needed to confirm long-term trends.
In 2024, there were 102,705 reported induced abortions in Canada, according to the latest data released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) on March 19, 2026. This marked a slight increase of about 1.1% from 101,553 in 2023, making 2024 the second-highest annual total in the past 20 years (after a peak of 108,784 in 2011).
Image: The March for Life rally in Ottawa, Canada’s capital, on May 14th, 2026.
