Choose Life has been criticized for distributing graphic anti-abortion literature. (CBC)An anti-abortion club has had its campus rights suspended by McGill University's student body council.

A motion to suspend the student club status granted to Choose Life was passed 16-7 on Nov. 12 by the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU).

Choose Life has been criticized on different Canadian campuses for distributing graphic anti-abortion literature, including on McGill's downtown campus.

A meeting organized this fall by the group, which included a speaker who compared abortion to genocide and the Holocaust, soured when pro-choice students stormed the gathering.

McGill student society president Ivan Neilson says the student council does not take a stance on abortion, but Choose Life's actions were unacceptable.

"We've received several complaints from our students that they felt harassed, that they felt that their safety has come into question and that they felt personally attacked," he told CBC News. "There are [also] several pamphlets that contain questionable statistics from questionable sources" left at various points on campus, Neilson said.

Suspending the group's club status means it can no longer use university property to hold gatherings, will no longer receive council funding and must meet with council executives to discuss the suspension.

"The hope is that we can encourage actions or tactics on their part which promote respect for all of our [student] members," Neilson said.SSMU president Ivan Neilson says the student council does not take a stance on abortion. (CBC)

The group doesn't see the suspension that way, said Choose Life president Nathalie Fohl.

"It's really unfortunate that they see what we do, just promoting discussion on life issues, trying to provide information on child development and abortion and things like that, as breaking any SSMU procedures," said Fohl, who also founded the group.

But she is willing to meet with the SSMU to work out a solution, she added.

If Choose Life can't reach a compromise on its activities with the student council, it may have its club status revoked.