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Page'i4: ‘-Feetcary te. 2008 PROVING TAL NATIONAL Teen Pregnancy a new Trend

In 1997, abortion rose from 43 per cent in 1995 to 48 per cent, and Amber Keirstead

By Jennifer Michels

At age 19 you have your whole life ahead of you.

That’s how it was for Am- ber Kierstead. She was liv- ing in Hamilton, Ont. movy- ing there from Amherst, N.S. shortly after graduating from high school in 2007.

Kierstead planned to move back home in a year’s time to attend college. She had applied to schools and was enjoying her time in Hamil- ton working in retail.

Then she discovered she was pregnant. She had only been with her boyfriend for a few months, but still ex- pected his support.

By July 2008, Kierstead had moved back to Amherst and was living with her mother, step-father and sister. Her boyfriend had planned to move to Amherst the follow- ing November.

Plans changed when Ki- erstead found out the soon- to-be-father was no longer planning to move to Am-

herst, instead he was staying in Hamilton with his family.

By November 2008, Kier- stead had moved out of her mother’s home and into her own apartment.

She maintained contact with the father even though he was still not willing to support her and their unborn child.

When Kierstead found out .

she was having a boy she had a name ready, Jaden Al- exander Wayne.

She has received financial support from the child’s fa- ther, allowing her to pur- chase a stroller and car seat .

Currently. she is working as a telephone operator and is due to give birth in early March.

Like many other young women her age, she is learn- ing how difficult it is going to be to raise a child on her own. :

She is not alone.

While teen pregnancy rates in Canada have gone down every year since 1994, teen- age abortion rates are high-

NDP candidate sees

By Taunya Murchison

New Democratic Party can- didate Mike Avery, his wife Theresa and his son Jeremy, watched the election results on TV with optimism.

Despite losing to Lawrence MacAulay in the most re- cent federal election, Avery was proud of the success his campaign had in Cardigan and the 1,557 votes he re- ceived.

“The Island has always

been flagged as red and blue, So it’s nice to see NDP prov- ing to be a steady competitor. We’re coming a long way,” said Avery.

Although Avery is a famil- iar face in provincial politics, this was his first time run- ning federally and he doesn’t expect it will be his last.

“Tt was an easy decision. When I was asked to run for the NDP, and after get- ting the encouragement from my wife, I knew it was the right choice. I told myself if

er.

In 1997, abortion rose from 43 per cent in 1995 to 48 per cent. Among girls aged 15 to 17, some 54 per cent of preg- nancies ended in abortion.

In Ontario and Alberta, 96.5 per cent of single preg- nant teenagers had an abor-: tion done in a hospital, while 96.1 per cent had an abortion done at a clinic.

Until recently, women who got pregnant at a young age were removed from school and hidden from the public eye.

Today pregnancy has be- come a common topic in the news. Stars like 16-year-old Jamie-Lynn Spears are hav- ing children, giving young girls the idea it’s OK.

Maclean’s magazine has said unplanned pregnancy has become a popular way to make money. Movies like Knocked Up, Juno and Waitress, along with celeb- rity moms, are part of a trend taking the world of teens by storm.

Maggie’s Place, a well-

Amber Kierstead is due to give birth to a boy this

was among them

"PANTHER POST

March in Amherst, N.S. Holland College photo

known support group in

Amherst, N.S., has weekly

meetings for mothers and a library full of information.

Prenatal program coordina- tor Donna Farrell said the programs offered at Mag- gie’s Place are available to all mothers or mothers-to-be. There is a group for young moms who need help from

other mothers.

She tries to keep the groups neutral, Farrell said. Teen- agers shouldn’t have to feel like their being put on the © spot during the programs, she said.

“I wouldn’t want to single anyone out.”

Michels is a journalism student at Holland College

campaign as a valuable experience

I received about 10 per cent of the votes in the district, I would run again. So, only time will tell.”

Avery, an employee of the Department of “Highways and a volunteer, said the highlight of his five weeks of campaigning was the lively debate. ;

“We only had one town hall public forum and it was ex- citing. You never know what questions are going to be asked.

Not only did Avery consid-

er his campaign a learning experience but it was a step towards recruiting “new-age voters” to the NDP.

Avery said one issue he and political leader, Jack Lay- ton focused on was P.E.I.’s struggling economy, particu-

larly the farming and fishing industries. . “There’s no easy way

around it, our Island indus- tries are in crisis. Regulated quota systems could be ben- eficial to farmers and fisher- men in the future. I believe

strongly in this,” Avery said. In the 21 years he’s lived in Fort Augustus, Avery said not one federal politi- cian campaigned at his door, something he wanted to avoid in his campaign. “Fight-five to 90 per cent of the people I visited door-to- door said I was the only poli- tician to do so. A voter wants to be recognized not only as a person, but as a valued — voter.” Murchison is a journalism student at Holland College