Hajdu clarifies jobs grant but wording unchanged

Reaches out to religious leaders amid controversy

• Employment Minister Patty Hajdu is looking to defuse the controversy over the Canada Summer Jobs program, as her office clarifies the terms used in the attestation, and puts in calls to faith- based groups concerned their religious freedom is at stake.

But the wording on the application form itself is unchanged, and one group who received a call from Hajdu says the attestation remains “unacceptable.”

Groups applying for the Canada Summer Jobs grant this year are required to attest that both the job and the organization’s “core mandate” respect reproductive rights, among other rights. The 2018 application guide says this includes “the right to access safe and legal abortions.”

Hajdu hit the phones on Monday, calling the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the United Church of Canada.

“I have reached out to many of the religious leaders across the country ... encouraged them to work with their individual organizations and churches across the country to let them know that this is about the activities of the organization and the job description,” she said on Tuesday morning.

Also on Tuesday, the government posted a new document called “Supplementary Information” about the grant program, and it includes a definition of core mandate: “This is the primary activities undertaken by the organization that reflect the organization’s ongoing services provided to the community. It is not the beliefs of the organization, and it is not the values of the organization.”

It also says “respect” means the activities “do not seek to remove or actively undermine these existing rights.”

The document outlines five hypothetical examples of organizations who might be applying. “A faith- based organization with anti-abortion beliefs applies for funding to hire students to serve meals to the homeless ... This organization would be eligible to apply,” it says.

“A summer camp submits an application to hire students as camp counsellors,” says another example. “However, the camp does not welcome LGBTQ2 young people. The camp is not eligible to apply.”

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said Monday was the first time it had heard from the minister, and the “short telephone call” has not solved the problem.

“Despite her statement today and the recently added definition of terms, the CCCB remains seriously concerned,” it said. “The attestation remains unacceptable.”

Wording of the attestation has caused widespread backlash, including from at least one Liberal caucus member. Newfoundland Liberal MP Scott Simms told his local CBC station on Monday that the attestation should be changed.

Meanwhile, the government is fighting a motion in Federal Court for an injunction that would temporarily halt the attestation. The motion was filed by the Toronto Right to Life Association as part of its case arguing that the attestation violates the Charter rights to freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and religion, and equal treatment under the law.

A hearing on the injunction was held Friday morning, but a decision has not yet been announced.

THE CCCB REMAINS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED.