Graphic anti-abortion material goes to mailboxes

A 12-year old boy wasn’ t the intended target of an anti-abortion mailout that showed up in area mailboxes last week. But when Shelley and Jeff Erick’ s pre-teen son Liam opened up an un-addressed envelope with only the words “Did you Know” written on the front, he was exposed to several images, including one showing the ripped up body parts of a late-stage aborted fetus.
The mailout, what the creators of the anti-abortion pamphlet called a “postcard,’ was put into more than 1,000 mailboxes in and around Lac La Biche last Wednesday.
Cameron Cote, a spokesperson for the Calgary-based Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, told the POST that his nation-wide agency didn’ t organize the mail drop in Lac La Biche, but said anyone can purchase the pamphlets or any number of anti-abortion materials from the organization’ s website.
When asked about the graphic nature of the pamphlet and why the envelopes didn’ t have any cautions about the content, Cote said the idea is to create a reaction.
“The reality is that when they see that notification, that warning, the mail goes straight into the garbage can,” said Cameron, explaining that the graphic images aren’ t just off-putting to the general public. “We don’ t actually like doing this ... We are just exposing the injustice.”
Saving lives
When asked about the possibility of children seeing the graphic images, Cote was apologetic, but didn’ t back down from his stance.
“We are doing something that might save a child’ s life. Not doing something because it might emotionally trouble or harm a human being is not the answer, ” Cote said.

The graphic image of body parts of a formed fetus - which Cote said was an authentic image of a medical abortion - was a lot for Jeff and Shelley Erick’ s son to handle. Jeff said it doesn’ t matter what side of the abortion issue a person is on, what has upset him and his wife is how the graphic images were allowed to be put into mailboxes so easily.
“I’ m not here to discuss the merits of either side. This was about how this message was delivered “ said Jeff, who contacted Canada Post about the delivery of the unmarked pamphlet.
Several area residents who received the document also contacted the local Post Office and several contacted another organization whose website was listed on the pamphlet.
Laura Classen with Choice42 was quick to say that her organization didn’ t know about the mailout. She also was not aware that her organization’ s contact information was included on the pamphlet. She said that Choice42 and Cote’ s coalition were partners in many areas of the anti-abortion movement, and admitted that though graphic, the mailouts do force a conversation about the issue.
“We do get so many women reaching out to us for post-abortion counselling,” she said.

Canada Post representative Phil Legault said there isn’ t a lot the Crown corporation can do to put a halt to items that some may find offensive.
“Canada Post is responsible for the physical delivery of all mail in Canada. We do not have the legal right to refuse delivery of a mail item because we or other people object to its content,” said the spokesperson from his Montreal office. “Among the requirements for mailable items, those that include explicit material must be sealed in order to be delivered. Anyone concerned about the content of the mail they receive should either contact the publisher or dispose of it.”
The Erick family also contacted Canada Post, and while they said their concerns were documented, they were told there wasn’ t a lot that could be done. They were told that Canada Post officials would continue to look into the matter.
The POST has learned that the person responsible for the local mailout may be from the Athabasca area.
Post staff are continuing to look for the people responsible and get their comments.