Focused on Life Podcast

Women are giving birth to fewer and fewer children - and what does that mean for the future of our families, communities, and our nations? Around the world, fertility rates have fallen dramatically, with many countries now well below the level needed to replace their populations. But why is this happening, and is the usual explanation - cost of living, housing and childcare - the whole story?

In this episode, Uju and Matt are joined by special guest Pete Baklinski, Communications Director for Campaign Life Coalition. Pete has been following fertility trends for years, and his commentary has appeared in Op-Eds and articles in several media outlets. Together the trio will unpack the growing fertility crisis and discuss solutions.

OOPS - We got the episode number wrong on the show. It's the 5th episode!

SHOW NOTES:

French Institute for Demographic Studies

Simulated population model

https://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/population-games/tomorrow-population

Read Pete's Op-Ed

EPOCH TIMES: Can Canada Be Saved From Extinction?

https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/can-canada-be-saved-from-extinction-5574489

Do you want to receive CLC's weekly "Pro-life Friday Bits" - a weekly digest of the top pro-life and pro-family news around Canada?

https://www.campaignlifecoalition-members.com/

Make sure to check the boxes at the bottom to start receiving the info

A recent case in Canada has raised some very uncomfortable questions about surrogacy, IVF, and the boundaries of reproductive technology. What happens when a same-sex couple want to abort "their" baby, but the woman carrying the child says no? And what happens when technology allows us to treat human life as something we can buy and sell, modify, or discard?

In this episode, Uju and Matt unpack the controversial Canadian surrogacy case making international headlines, discuss a recent Campaign Life Coalition UN side event on reproductive technologies, IVF and surrogacy, and Uju shares insights from her recent trip to Madrid, Spain, where she spoke about the growing concerns surrounding surrogacy.

WATCH CLC's UN side event: The Human Cost of IVF | CSWF Side Event | March 12, 2026, New York, NY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liiu5zeS2T0&t=3355s

National Post: Couple sues Ontario surrogate mother who refused to abort fetus: Couple sues Ontario surrogate mother who refused to abort fetus

Catholic Herald: Canadian surrogate sued after abortion refusal: Canadian surrogate sued after abortion refusal

Juno News: EXCLUSIVE: Pro-life advocate warns against commercializing surrogacy and coercive abortions: EXCLUSIVE: Pro-life advocate warns against commercializing surrogacy and coercive abortions

Back in July, Cardinal Robert Sarah brought some straight talk to the European Parliament, challenging Europe on its relationship with Africa, the importance of words, cultural sovereignty, ideology, and the very meaning of truth itself. Uju and Matt break down his wonderful statement and discuss why his message matters far beyond Brussels.

Uju also recently celebrated a unique anniversary! Tune in to find out what the celebrations are all about.

SHOW NOTES:

Read Cardinal Robert Sarah's statement: Cardinal Robert Sarah's EP keynote speech on EU-Africa relations [EN, IT, FR] - The Catholic Church …

Have you read Uju's book Target Africa? Buy it on amazon. Only a few copies left. Buy here:

AMAZON CA: Target Africa: Ideological Neo-Colonialism Of The Twenty-First Century : Ekeocha, Obianuju: Amazon.c…

AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/Target-Africa-Ideological-Neocolonialism-Twenty-First-ebook/dp/B07BDNSMFL/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=target+africa&qid=1592520770&sprefix=target+af&sr=8-1

World Cup fever is here! As Canada, the United States, and Mexico host the 2026 World Cup, Uju and Matt get in on the action.

Soccer or football - depending on where you're from - meets the pro-life movement as they rank all 48 World Cup nations based on their legal protection for human life from conception. Which countries make the top of the table, and which finish at the bottom? Will the most pro-life nation lift the cup?

Tune in to find out!

After a longer than expected hiatus, we're BACK for a new season with new episodes.

On May 18th, 2026, the pro-life movement lost one of it's leading patriarchs - Jim Hughes. Uju and Matt share about their relationship with the 'pope' of Canada's pro-life movement and how God brought Jim into our lives and into the lives of so many. We also play a short clip from our interview with Jim back in 2024.

Be sure to listen to Season 1 | Episode 10: Remembering Pro-Life Giants with Special Guest Jim Hughes for our long conversation with Jim.

WATCH

Mass of Christian Burial for Jim Hughes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z-j2qEE-GE&t=5s

Homily delivered by Fr. Louis DiRocco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNP32NIUVag&t=11s

As a very busy summer comes to an end, Uju and Matt sit down with the one and only Dr. Dermot Kearney, a consultant cardiologist and former President of the Catholic Medical Association (UK), who is a leading expert in Abortion Pill Reversal. Tune in to learn more about chemical abortions, the antidote, and the wonderful success stories of lives saved.

Resources:

abortionpillreversal.com is a wonderful resource. If you know someone who has taken the first abortion drug (mifepristone) and is regretting it, please share this page with them. It can save a life!

Follow Dr. Dermot on X (twitter) @DermotKearney3

It's June! The month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the month of martyrs! This is one of those episodes where we chat a little bit about everything. Good news - Something big happened in one of the largest school boards in Canada - Bad news - anti free speech bubble zones continue to sweep across the West.

Resources for personal research:

One of the largest Catholic School Boards in Canada vote against flying of 'pride' flags: https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/clc-blog/id/382/title/miracle-on-matheson-blvd-

Learn about the Ugandan Martyrs and their Shrine in Namugongo, Uganda: https://www.ugandamartyrsshrine.org.ug/about-martyrs/martyrdom

Read the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa AKA "The Maputo Protocal": Microsoft Word - Protocol on the Rights of Women (ohchr.org)

What is euthanasia? What is assisted-suicide? And how did Canada become the model for activists pushing euthanasia laws around the world? Matt and I had the opportunity to chat with leading expert and executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Alex Schadenberg. Alex has been fighting the good fight in the eye of the storm for the past 25 years. If you think you and your family are safe from euthanasia and assisted suicide, guess again. - Uju

Resource for personal research:

Go to https://epcc.ca/ for more information. This is the number one resource in the world on Euthanasia and Assisted-suicide.

Read Alex's blog with articles and commentary posted almost daily https://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/

Contact us via email with any and all questions, comments, news bits etc. at [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and share!

Description: We're back for Season 2 of Focused on Life Podcast. In our first episode of season 2, Uju and I chat about some recent pro-life and pro-family victories in Canada. 2024 started off well, but there's no time to slow down. The work continues! - Matt

Contact us via email with any and all questions, comments, news bits etc. at [email protected]

Don’t forget to subscribe and share!

We made it to Episode 10 of Focused on Life Podcast!

On this last episode of 2023, we have the privilege of chatting with the one and only, 'pope of the Canadian pro-life movement', Jim Hughes. Sit back and enjoy. Jim's stories of times past never disappoint. - Matt

PS - This is our last episode of the year and of Season 1. We'll be back in the new year! Merry Christmas!

WATCH:

Epic debate between Dr. Bernard Nathanson and Dr. Henry Morgentaler on live TV. Enjoy the throwback to TV in the 80s:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-GY_hb3100&t=2337s

NOTES:

Jim name-dropped a lot - Saints John Paul II and Mother Teresa, Jerome Lejeune, Bernard Nathanson, Joe Borowski. Google them to learn more about these wonderful pro-life Heroes.

For more information go to focusedonlifepodcast.com or email us at [email protected]