Interim Staff:
On Feb. 5, three months before the 2026 National March for Life in Ottawa, Campaign Life Coalition unveiled the theme, “Follow Me.”
During the announcement video, Josie Luetke, CLC director of education and advocacy, said “‘Follow Me’ is, first and foremost, an invitation to be disciples of Christ—and to be fishers of men,” explaining, “Because as a pro-life movement, we’re not just working to save lives, but also to save souls; to not just win arguments, but to win people over for Christ with the same love and compassion that He had for all.”
“Follow Me” was Christ’s original call to His disciples: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). CLC said “it is a call that changed history” because “Upon hearing the call, the hearers ‘immediately … left their nets and followed Him’.”
CLC said on its website, “This year’s theme is also a call to action, an invitation to follow spiritual and pro-life leaders onto Parliament Hill on May 14 for the 2026 National March for Life.” It said, “It is also an invitation that can be extended to our friends, families, schools, and faith communities to join the pro-life movement in Ottawa.”
Luetke said that the theme “Follow Me” can “also be interpreted as a whisper” to new mothers and fathers to embrace the “beautiful journey” from “womb to tomb” accompanied by Christ “through every stage and season of life.”
CLC vice president Matthew Wojciechowski said “Follow Me” means “saying yes to Christ … to love your neighbour” by joining the Canadian pro-life movement in Ottawa at the National March for Life.
Luetke said CLC has a challenge for pro-lifers watching the announcement video, available online, to make a short video inviting friends and family to “follow me” to the National March for Life, posting them on social media. The video should include reasons why the individual thinks it is important to take part in the march and to tag marchforlife.ca and CLC on their social media pages.
Gideon Spevak, a youth coordinator for CLC, in his “Follow Me” video said “I’m inviting you join me in Ottawa for the National March for Life” to call “for an end to the scourge of abortion,” sharing his “truly held belief” that if every person who opposes abortion took part in the march, abortion would be defeated.
Kim Headley, another CLC youth coordinator, said in her video that she hoped all will heed “Christ’s call” to “stand up for the preborn.”
Luetke urged grassroots pro-lifers to organize buses from their community to bring people to the march and ask their pastors to publicize the march and theme.
Wojciechowski presented the program for the week. On May 12, there is a songs for life coffee house and on May 13 there is the annual candlelight vigil. On May 14 there are Masses and church services for life throughout Ottawa, the national pro-life rally on Parliament Hill, the march through the streets of the nation’s capital, abortion testimonials on the Hill, and in the evening the Rose Dinner. On May 15, there is a youth summit for teens and young adults. There is also a pro-life expo on May 15 and 16 at the convention centre.
EWTN will broadcast the Parliament Hill rally and march.
The Rose Dinner keynote speaker will be announced closer to the event.
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