Anti-abortion group urges young backers to apply for UCP internships
An Ottawa-based anti-abortion group is encouraging its members to pursue United Conservative Party internships and learn how to “advance pro-life legislation provincially in Alberta.”
“We have two paid political internship opportunities for young pro-lifers and three for those from Alberta!” RightNow wrote in an email to members Monday.
The UCP is offering internships this summer to post-secondary students and recent graduates. The program is run by caucus and interns will be paid out of its budget.
RightNow co-founder Scott Hayward said the UCP internships were some of the few to come across his radar, but his group doesn’t have ownership over the program.
“It’s just that we have identified these opportunities for pro-lifers who are interested in politics to go and hone their skills,” he said.
“We encourage pro-lifers to apply for political internships across the country ... where we know that they will be able to apply and be received into the programs.”
Hayward said his group is not officially aligned with the UCP or any political party.
UCP Leader Jason Kenney has been vocally anti-abortion. In student politics, he identified himself as an “anti-abortion activist,” and he maintains a personal belief in what he calls the sanctity of life.
As a federal MP in 2012, he voted in support of a study about when life begins, but told the Calgary Herald last year he won’t make any changes to abortion access if he becomes premier.
UCP spokeswoman Annie Dormuth said her party can’t stop independent, third-party groups from telling their members or supporters about the internship by sending around a link.
RightNow’s goal is to nominate and elect anti-abortion politicians federally and provincially. Its email to supporters said the UCP internship program would give young anti-abortion supporters an understanding of Alberta’s political process.
“These are essential skills for pro-lifers to learn and attain in order to advance pro-life legislation provincially in Alberta by working as future staffers for future pro-life members of the Legislative Assembly,” it said.
Hayward said it’s no great secret that anti-abortion supporters involved in politics want to see antiabortion policy.
“When pro-lifers go to get experience in different political parties, they’ll use that experience in the future to advance particular policy agendas,” he said.
The Alberta NDP does not have an internship program.