Dr. Paul Adams was a pro-life obstetrician and gynaecologist primarily practicing at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

He believed that being pro-life imposed a positive responsibility to support women and his career and legacy give witness to that belief.

The award in his honour will highlight exceptional initiative, professionalism, and generosity within the pro-life medical community. It will be awarded annually at the CPL annual conference.

Join us on Saturday, November 7th to celebrate and honour the pro-life legacy of this year’s Dr. Paul Adams Award Recipient.

Past Recipients

Since arriving in Thunder Bay in 1974, Dr. Kotalik has seamlessly integrated clinical excellence as a radiation oncologist with visionary leadership, founding the Centre for Health Care Ethics at Lakehead University and serving as its director for twelve years. His profound impact spans local and international spheres—from transforming regional healthcare ethics as the catalyst behind Thunder Bay’s first hospital ethicist to advising Health Canada and the Swiss National Bioethics Committee. Throughout his distinguished career as professor, researcher, and advocate, he has championed life-affirming perspectives in bioethics, most recently as co-editor of the groundbreaking Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada: Key Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Now in his eighth decade, Dr. Kotalik continues to inspire colleagues with his inexhaustible energy and unwavering commitment to ethical healthcare, embodying the values of encounter and presence that form the cornerstone of genuine human flourishing.

Watch an interview with Dr. Jaro Kotalik

For nearly four decades, Dr. Will Johnston has stood among the most steadfast voices in Canada’s pro-life medical community. A Vancouver family physician, he has served on the Board of Canadian Physicians for Life since approximately 1988, later serving as the organization’s president, and currently chairs the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of BC.

Dr. Margaret Cottle, a Vancouver palliative care physician, in presenting the award to him at the annual conference referred to Will simply as “Dr. Pro-Life”. He earned this title through decades of work protecting life from conception onward and through his role as, in her words, “a leader in the campaign against medical termination.” She describes him as “fearless and persistent,” noting that his gift for media communication means he “knows exactly what to say to illuminate both the truth and the heart of the issue.”

That fearlessness has always been matched by tenderness. Johnston has long been, as Cottle puts it, “a wonderful friend” to crisis pregnancy centres across the Lower Mainland, “lovingly caring for many women referred by these charities, including those who have no means of paying for their care.” It is this combination of conviction and compassion that has saved and enriched so many lives.

Watch an interview with Dr. Will Johnston.

Dr. Stephen Genuis has  been a long-time supporter of CPL. Refusing speaking fees, he communicated again and again that his attendance at our conferences was his way of blessing our students and members. His talks were always well attended, highly rated by our members, and always in demand. His talks covered a variety of topics over the years, but they always included two themes: wholistic, life-affirming care for patients and a patient-centered approach to their care.

Stephen has published extensively and his body of work on environmental medicine is cutting edge, and will no doubt inform that field for years to come.

As a physician, Stephen is caring, patient, and thorough. He also strongly believes in educating patients about their own health and options. His approach isn’t top-down – he truly takes the time to partner with his patients in their care.

Stephen is an incredible physician and member of the Canadian pro-life community.

For decades Dr. Sheila Harding, along with her spouse Terry Harding served together to promote and protect life. The mentoring they provide to medical students, residents and physicians has rippled to impact countless men, women, children and unborn children in a way they may never fully appreciate but certainly deserve our respect and admiration.

They welcomed students, residents and physicians into their home for a weekly meal. Terry would prepare the most amazing home cooked feasts for everyone to enjoy and Dr. Harding would lead thoughtful life affirming discussions throughout the evening. They were quick to connect us with opportunities for further education like medical literature, websites, books and conferences like the yearly CPL conference. So many of us were grateful for how they helped us to navigate the challenges being a pro-life medical learner and ultimately as practicing physicians.

Besides informal mentorship, Dr. Harding has served in numerous leadership positions acting to advocate to preserve and protect life and to relieve suffering and promote healing. Terry is always right beside her, helping to coordinate and plan retreats, conferences and student events. Both are extremely intelligent but also kind and caring. They speak the truth with academic eloquence underlined with human love and compassion.

Leonie Herx is Associate Professor and Division head of Palliative Medicine at Queen’s University, and the Medical Director for Palliative Care at Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Providence Care Hospital. Over the past 12 years, Leonie has been actively involved in growing and building the discipline of palliative care at a national level. She co-founded the new Royal College Subspecialty in Palliative Medicine and is now the Chair of the Royal College Specialty Committee for Palliative Medicine and has been actively involved in the national specialty society for palliative medicine, serving on the board of the Canadian Society for Palliative Care Physicians for the past 8 years and is the immediate past-President of CSPCP. Leonie is also an advisor to the Vulnerable Persons Standard.

Leonie is passionate about advocating for the integrity of holistic palliative care and maintaining its distinction from euthanasia. She is passionate about ensuring Canadians have a right to assistance in living and that clinicians have a right to follow their conscience and maintain their moral integrity. She has written multiple academic articles & chapters, editorials and general media pieces on this topic, spoken at many national forums and has been an invited speaker to other countries considering similar euthanasia legislation including Australia, New Zealand and the UK.