Thank you members of the press for your presence here today which shows your interest in the issues to be discussed. In light of the University of Calgary's decision to bring its own students to trial for the expression of their opinions, it seems wisest to begin with a quote from the University's own calendar of 2006/2007.

The University of Calgary community has undertaken to be guided by the following statements of purpose and values:

• to promote free inquiry and debate
• to act as a community of scholars
• to lead and inspire societal development
• to respect, appreciate, and encourage diversity

The lofty ideals and noble sentiments expressed in these simple but eloquent phrases resonate throughout the fibers of our society. In fact, to a large degree, a society's commitment to freedom can be measured by the strictness of their adherence to these principles.

It seems ironic, then, that the very institution which has codified these same principles would actively seek their destruction. Yet this is precisely what the university has undertaken. By acting on their threats to bring legal action against their own students, who sought to engage their campus with meaningful dialog on an important issue, the University has revealed a disturbing double standard.

It is a double standard when the signs of Campus Pro-Life are censored for being too graphic when less than a thirty meters away the university celebrates a graphic protest of the horrible atrocities committed against the Falun Gong. It is a double standard when the university permits as art the indecent exposure of woman; yet spares no pains to brutally suppress as offensive pictures which stimulate intellectual discourse. It is a double standard when an institution dedicated to unfettered thought ruthlessly silences those who disagree with them.

Double standards such as these are not healthy for a society built on liberty and dedicated to equality.

The road to the liberty we enjoy in Canada was long and fraught with deadly peril. Many brave men and woman took it upon themselves to bear upward the sacred torch of freedom to greater heights. The cost of their heroism was often their blood, sweat, and tears. We Canadians inherit the fruits of their sacrifices; sown in pain, and well watered with liquid crimson. Now, once more, Canada faces a challenge to test her commitment to the ideals upon which she was founded, and upon which her society now stands.

In a blatant attack on the spirit of free speech, the University of Calgary has issued summons to bring its own students to trial for expressing their beliefs. We of Campus Pro Life are now preparing to face the judicial system because we dared to believe. We dared to believe in a world which personified the famous slogan of the French Revolution; "Liberty, equality, fraternity." We dared to believe in a world which does not brutally dismember a quarter of its population. We dared to believe in a world free from the scourge of abortion.

Our faith in humanity has fallen on deaf ears in the administration of the University of Calgary. Where we offer hope; they offer sanctions. Where we bring the strength of conviction; they bring only repression. Where we dream of a better world; they seem intent on maintaining its status quo.

Still, however, the institutions of the university would accept our nonconformist philosophy; provided we do not inspire our fellow students with our idealism. To them, we could be pro-life, but we could not show what that means. We were allowed to harbor our own thoughts, but it was forbidden for us to undertake to spread our vision in any meaningful way.

In the face of this double repression; which perpetrated horrendous crimes upon the unborn, then sought to cover up the villainy by removing freedom of speech from those who opposed it; in the face of these repressions we could not stand silent. Even if our minds were willing to accept such draconian terms, our hearts could never contain us.

To action we were called by the hope in our hearts. To action we were called by virtue of our faith in humanity. And to action we went. On October _______ we displayed the Genocide Awareness Project. This project seeks to remove the semantics which surround justification of abortion by using photographic proof. It is for this that we are now locked in a legal struggle.

We await with indifference the outcome of this trial, for we but did what our consciences bid us do. To have done otherwise would not be worthy of the legacy of Canada and of freedom.

Thank you for your time.