Anti-abortion graphic postcards upset some Surrey residents

An anti-abortion group handing out postcards with graphic images of aborted fetuses has upset some Newton residents who found them in their mail.

Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, the advocacy group behind the postcards, is defending them and its right to distribute them in residential neighbourhoods. 

However, Hailey Zerr said the graphic photos dredged up unhappy memories for her, and she's glad her husband threw the postcard out before she saw it. 

"Unfortunately, we did suffer a miscarriage and an image like that would have been absolutely heartbreaking for me to see," Zerr says.

"I'm still dealing with it emotionally and I don't need to be reminded of the child I lost."

Cameron Cote, a spokesman for the group distributing the postcards, admits the photos are shocking, but says they are a necessary part of its nation-wide campaign to get the anti-abortion message out. 

"I am profoundly disturbed by the images. I hate looking at them and I hate the reality that they show, but that reality calls for action," he said. 

"It forces me to do something so those images become a record of the past."

Cote said his group is distributing the 25,000 postcards in Surrey, because it opposes Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's pro-choice stance and want to keep Trudeau out of office. 

Another resident Robyn Nakagawa also says she was disgusted when she saw it in her mail. 

"This was obviously meant for shock value. I'm upset because my very young children could have seen it," she says.

"There would have been a lot of questions and nightmares. They would have been traumatized by seeing such offensive and graphic photos."

Cote, however, says his team does its best to keep them away from kids.

"I think it is important to recognize we do place all the postcards in mailboxes or in areas where the homeowner will be the primary one to find them."