Anti-choice Extremists Connected to School Trustee Candidate Tyler Duce (Edmonton Public – Ward G)
For immediate release
Alberta Pro-Choice Coalition
Two pro-choice groups want voters to be aware that anti-choice extremist groups are training and supporting Tyler Duce as school trustee candidate for the Edmonton Public School Board election October 16, 2017.
“Tyler Duce and his extremist supporters have an agenda to attack and undermine the human rights of rights of women, trans men and non-binary people. We must ensure Duce’s defeat,” said Melanie Anderson of the Alberta Pro-Choice Coalition.
“We urge Ward G voters to look at their candidates closely, and vote to protect Edmonton students from Tyler Duce in October’s trustee election,” said Joyce Arthur, Executive Director of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, a national pro-choice advocacy group.
When screen shots from Tyler Duce’s personal Facebook account recently became public, it raised concerns that GSAs (Gay Straight Alliances) and comprehensive sexual health education in public schools were under attack. Now, an investigation of anti-choice events and candidate events on Facebook by the Alberta Pro-Choice Coalition indicate a close connection between Duce’s campaign and radical anti-choice extremists who seek to undermine the rights of women, trans men and non-binary people.
Many Ward G residents received graphic anti-abortion flyers in their mailboxes in June 2017. These flyers directed people to an extremist anti-choice website operated by the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR – the fetal gore gang). Residents in Ward G should be concerned that some volunteers in Tyler Duce’s election campaign are directly connected to CCBR, the same group that produces and distributes the flyers (similar flyers by the CCBR were found in 2015 to violate Clause 14 of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards for displaying “obvious indifference to conduct or attitudes that offended the standards of public decency…”)
Tyler Duce has been trained and supported by the Wilberforce Project (formerly Alberta Pro-Life) and is using CCBR volunteers. Tyler Duce has attended anti-choice indoctrinations by the Wilberforce Project since March 11, 2017. Many people attending these events are directly connected to the CCBR and are now connected to Tyler as Facebook friends and campaign volunteers.
For detailed information, see the following Background data, pages 2-9.
(also posted at: http://arcc-cdac.ca/press/Release-Tyler-Duce-connected-to-antichoice-extremists.pdf)
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Contact: Alberta Pro-choice Coalition, Melanie Anderson, 403 860 5619, melanie.anderson6@gmail.com Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, Joyce Arthur, 604-351-0867, joyce@arcc-cdac.ca
What residents of Ward G should know
- In 2014, Edmonton Public School District removed an anti-choice group from teaching sexual health education in Edmonton public schools. The board recognized that students must have evidence-based, medically accurate, comprehensive sexual health education that is inclusive to LGBT students. Anti-choice groups oppose abortion, contraception and are not safe for LGBT students.
- School trustee candidates must place the public health needs of ALL students ahead of objections by special interest groups. Tyler Duce has already shown that sexual health education may be placed at risk.
- A number of Tyler Duce’s volunteers are connected to the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, the organization that distributed fetal gore flyers in Ward G in June 2017.
- Tyler Duce considers the womb to be a hostile place and claimed Canadian soldiers are safer than fetuses. His comments indicate that he does not value the human rights of women, trans men and non-binary people:

- Many Edmonton Public School students are LGBT and require safe spaces in school. Tyler Duce has admitted to being homophobic and appears to be willing to out LGBT students. His focus on parents’ rights may violate SOGI policies (Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity), undermine Gay Straight Alliances and endanger LGBT youth

People from known anti-choice groups
Activists and staff of known anti-choice groups are highlighted in yellow and specifically identified as CCBR if they have been interns or staff, or participated in Choice Chains:

Anti-choice organizations with active volunteers in the trustee elections
- Back Porch/ALIES
- Crisis pregnancy centre located directly across the street from the Edmonton Women’s Health Options abortion clinic.
- ALIES gathers, develops and distributes information on a broad range of life issues. These include abortion, euthanasia, reproduction technologies, pregnancy, birth control, and human sexuality. ALIES is a member of Life Canada, a national educational anti-choice group.
- Brandon University Students’ Union (BUSU) Students for Life
- Anti-choice student group at Brandon University.
- Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform
- This organization displays graphic fetal gore on campuses, near schools and on highways (sometimes called Choice Chain). They distribute fetal gore postcards and flyers to mailboxes across Canada.
- Fetal gore flyers were distributed in Ward G in June 2017.
- Edmonton Against Abortion (Facebook Page)
- Activists have been involved with the CCBR Choice Chain and fetal gore displays near schools and campuses.
- Evangelical Office of the Public Square
- Consortium of Biblically-focused, Holy Spirit driven, evangelical Christians.
- Go Life: U of A Campus Pro-life
- Anti-choice student group at the University of Alberta; hosted fetal gore display.
- National Campus Life Network
- NCLN mentors and trains students to be anti-choice leaders, supporting them with resources to effectively reach their peers and thereby “change the culture”.
- Through personalized mentorship, campus visits, effective resources, and ongoing support, NCLN’s team connects students to the wider anti-choice student movement.
- Right Now
- Campaign to get anti-choice candidates elected.
- Wilberforce Project (formerly Alberta Pro-Life)
- Umbrella Alberta anti-choice group involved in activism and training anti-choice politicians.
- Defines the IUD, pill, and emergency contraception as abortifacients even though abortion is not possible unless there is a pregnancy. All these methods prevent pregnancy.
- Work to Abolish Abortion in Canada Action Team
- Facebook Group
Anti-choice people and their connections to Tyler Duce
Anti-choice activist/staff | Anti-choice organization and connection to Tyler |
---|---|
Adrian-Jacqueline Barendregt- Hamoen | CCBR Calgary – activism; member of the Facebook Group ARPA Barrhead/Neerlandia – anti-choice Facebook group creator and admin |
Yvonne Boon | Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform (CCBR) – staff |
Attended Wilberforce event (Tyler Duce attended): July 20 Facebook Live “how to” guide for PC Unity Vote | |
Katie Campbell | Go Life: U of A Campus Pro-Life – Executive |
Wilberforce Project – publishing on website | |
Invited to July 8, August 5 canvass Tyler Duce | |
Friends with Tyler Duce on Facebook | |
Cameron Cote | CCBR – Former intern with postcard history |
Youth Protecting Youth (YPY) UVic | |
Participated in CCBR Choice Chain/Genocide Awareness Project | |
Attended Wilberforce Project event (Tyler Duce also attended) April 28, 2017: Pro-life Apologetics & Politics 101 | |
Ray Donnelly | Edmonton Against Abortion – CCBR gore display May 28, 2016 |
Canvassed July 8, August 5 for Tyler Duce | |
Marc Duteau | Edmonton Against Abortion – CCBR gore display April 22, 2017 |
Invited to July 8, August 5 canvass Tyler Duce | |
Alissa Golob | Right Now – co-founder Campaign Life Youth Coalition Participated in CCBR Choice Chain gore display |
Invited to July 8 canvass for Tyler Duce | |
Scott Hayward | Right Now– co-founder |
Edmonton Against Abortion – likes page | |
Friends with Tyler Duce on Facebook | |
Joshua Irwin | Edmonton Against Abortion – likes page |
Invited to August 5 canvass for Tyler Duce | |
Scott Janzen | Edmonton Against Abortion – likes page |
Friends with Tyler Duce on Facebook | |
Andrew Langemann | Work to Abolish Abortion in Canada Action Team Facebook Group |
Canvassed August 5, 12-3pm for Tyler Duce | |
Friends with Tyler Duce on Facebook |
Tyler Duce for Trustee Posted Facebook Canvassing Events
(Note: CCBR includes staff, interns and Choice Chains)
