Anti-abortion flyer campaign unrepentant in its tactics by Adam Kveton Kanata Kourier-Standard 9 | Friday, July 17, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The anti-abortion No2Trudeau campaign, that had volunteers leave postcards with graphic images of aborted fetuses on Oakville doorsteps this week, has received some push-back from Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) thanks to a "very unusual" set of circumstances. Normally, the self-regulating agency made up of advertising industry members does not consider complaints on political advertising. However, a previous decision on a nonpolitical ad campaign that used at least one of the images of an aborted fetus used in the No2Trudeau campaign has prompted the agency to ask those responsible for the campaign to change their advertising. But, despite ad standards' previous decision, a spokesman for the campaign said it will continue to distribute the images without changes. "Their decision, I would actually word it as their opinion, on our postcards doesn't actually mean anything to us and it's not going to stop anything we are doing," said Jonathan Van Maren, who works for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform which, along with Campaign Life Coalition, is working to deliver hundreds of thousands of the anti-abortion postcards across Canada, including 40,000 in Oakville. The campaign began distributing flyers in Oakville last week, prompting outrage from some parents who said their children were I am all for freedom of speech, but no seven-year-old should be exposed to those images. It is absolutely disgusting and the only fortunate thing is he had no idea what he was looking at. To say my wife and I are furious, would be an understatement. She called the police, who stated they could not do anything about this. Peter Nicov Oakville someone put one of these flyers into the hands of his seven-year-old son. "I am all for freedom of speech, but no sevenyear-old should be exposed to those images," said Peter Nicov in an email. "It is absolutely disgusting and the only fortunate thing is he had no idea what he was looking at. To say my wife and I are furious would be an understatement. She called the police, who stated they could not do anything about this." Oakville MP Terence Young said he was disgusted by the flyers and emphasized they have nothing to do with the Conservative Party or himself. Young also sent the architects of the No2Trudeau Campaign a cease-and-desist letter. "I am writing to ask you to cease and desist your campaign of placing graphic and appalling flyers entitled No2Trudeau in the mailboxes and doorways of my constituents in Oakville and elsewhere," wrote Young in his correspondence, a copy of which was forwarded to the Oakville Beaver. "They are quite understandably causing distress and anger, particularly as they are exposed to children who react with confusion see Campaign on p.10 A STEP BEYOND IN CARE Salima Kassam Reg. Chiropodist traumatized by seeing the images. The cards, which have images of aborted fetuses on both sides, were left in mailboxes, on doorsteps, and, according to some residents, even given directly to a child on at least one occasion. One Oakville parent reported on Thursday · Foot/Arch Pain? · Ingrown Toenails? · Diabetes? · Swollen Ankles? · Corns, Calluses? Do you have: Call for an appointment 905-632-1414 728 Burloak Drive www.footandhealthclinic.com S T Y L E , S E L E C T I O N , Q U A L I T Y, E X C E L L E N C E Torlys EverWood Waterproof Floor Cobble Beach JULY $ 69 sq. ft. v Hardwood v Laminate v Tile Tile vCork Cork Hardwood Laminate v Stone Stone 4 266 Speers Road, Oakville · 905.845.8562 www.speersflooring.com