Abortion rights advocate calls for more clarity on summer jobs program

OTTAWA An abortion rights advocate who urged the Liberals to deny summer job grants to groups opposed to letting women terminate their pregnancies says the government may have gone a step too far.

Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada says she believes the government wanted to target organizations that would hire students to undermine reproductive rights, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community — a goal she stands strongly behind.

But Arthur says she thinks the message is getting lost, thanks to vague language that has faith-based groups fearful that the government is treading on fundamental freedoms of conscience, religion and thought guaranteed by the charter.

The government says faith-based organizations are welcome to seek federal funding to create summer jobs for youth, but must attest to their respect for sexual and reproductive rights — including “the right to access safe and legal abortions” — as well as other human rights.

Many churches and other religious groups say that forces them to choose between denying their spiritual values, or forego funding that helps run soup kitchens, shelters and other activities that have nothing to do with abortion.

Some groups have discussed adding a letter to the application form explaining their refusal to express broad support for reproductive rights, but Employment and Social Development Canada suggests such applications would be rejected outright.