Dear Friend,

That life begins at conception is a belief that is held deeply by many Canadians.
 
Should groups that hold these beliefs or personal convictions be singled out and subjected to greater scrutiny? We are concerned that this may be what is being proposed by the current government.
 
The Prime Minister has tasked his Minister of Finance and his Minister of Women and Gender Equality with making “anti-abortion organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women about their rights and options ineligible for charitable status.” In the last election, the Liberal platform specifically named crisis pregnancy centres as an example of organizations that would be penalized.
 
This is concerning on many fronts.
 
Revoking or rejecting the charitable status of an organization solely on the basis of beliefs about abortion or when life begins surely violates Charter guarantees of the freedom of conscience, religion, belief, and expression.
 
As well, in a country that proudly claims to respect diversity of thought, opinion, and lived experience, characterizing those with opposing views as deceitful is both hurtful and counterproductive. No legitimate charity that operates ethically, with honesty and integrity, should have its work be considered dishonest, simply because it disagrees with the government’s position on issues like abortion.
 
In addition, the terms “anti-abortion organizations” and “dishonest counselling” have not been clearly defined. Could this be applied to churches or other places of worship that affirm biblical teachings on the sanctity of life? What about faith-based institutions (e.g., Bible camps, Christian schools, etc.) that hold deeply rooted beliefs about when life begins? This raises  concerns that charities could be penalized simply for holding life-affirming beliefs.
 
If this sounds familiar to you, it’s because we’ve been down this path before. In 2018, the government created new requirements for the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program. To be eligible for this public benefit, applicants were required to declare that they support the government’s stance on certain social and moral issues like abortion, gender, and sexuality. As a result, many Christian charities were ineligible for summer student grants.
 
Thankfully, in response to strong objections made by the EFC, our affiliates, and many other faith-based organizations, the federal government made changes to the attestation.
 
It is also deeply concerning that this proposal mischaracterizes crisis pregnancy centres, which have been and continue to be a source of tremendous support for countless Canadian women and families.
 
Pregnancy Care Canada (PCC), an EFC affiliate organization, is an association of over 80 life-affirming, Christ-centred pregnancy care centres across Canada that offer their services free of charge to everyone. These centres exist to provide a compassionate and safe environment for women to make pregnancy decisions that are fully informed, evidence-based, consistent with their belief system, and free from external influences. They respect a woman’s right to make her own decision and seek to provide her with medically accurate information on abortion, adoption, and parenting.
 
Removing the charitable status of pregnancy care centres would have an enormous negative impact. Many of these centres serve vulnerable communities across Canada. Many of their clients are marginalized, struggling financially, and lacking adequate supports. Many are women who are unsure about their pregnancy decision and uncertain about their choices. The loss of charitable status could seriously harm the capacity of these centres to serve and care for their clients.
 
The EFC is seeking clarification of the government’s plans and intentions on this issue. We are encouraging concerned Canadians to communicate their concerns to their MPs. And we have written a letter to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of National Revenue, respectfully requesting to be included in any consultations on changes to charitable status.
 
Canadians can and do have different beliefs about abortion and when life begins. Full participation in public life should not be subject to a values test. No charity should lose its charitable status solely because of their life-affirming beliefs.
 
Will you help? Please pray that the good work of many pro-life charitable organizations may be recognized and affirmed by our government. Please contact your MP to express your concerns. And please prayerfully consider making a financial gift today in support of the EFC’s work in this regard. You can make a difference!

Sincerely,

Bruce Clemenger
President
 

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