In 1981, Howard and Betty McPhee attended a conference where Dr. Everett Koop, the next US Surgeon-General, was speaking. There, they found information on the Christian Action Council (CAC) in the US. Howard was pastor of the Grace & Peace PCA church, and with his and Betty’s encouragement, others in their congregation became concerned for affirming the value of human life in Toronto. Nora Henry, Barbara Challies, and Flora Compton, all from the Grace & Peace church, attended the first “Sanctity of Human Life Conference” in Atlanta, Georgia, in June 1981.
On their return, they formed the Toronto chapter of the CAC. In this group were Barbara and John Challies, Bill and Renee Salomons, Wilma Klein, Flora and David Compton (pastor of Evangelical Presbyterian Church), Rod Finlayson, Catherine and Malcolm MacInnes (pastor of the Associate Presbyterian Church), Howard and Betty McPhee, Ven Evans, Jack Douglas, Nora Henry, and many others. They hosted a Toronto conference with Curtis Young, then Director of the CAC in the US.
People soon took on distinct responsibilities. Rod Finlayson served as Treasurer. Betty McPhee became the Educational Facilitator, and began speaking to churches and schools.
