Churches stymied by PM’s stance on abortion
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have his chance to prove he treats Canadian churches and social agencies with the same respect he showed convicted terrorist Omar Khadr when those faith groups’ applications for Canada Summer Jobs grants are soon processed.
The government has effectively prevented faith-based social agencies and churches from applying online for some of the 70,000 subsidized wage grants for summer students as a result of an “attestation” on the online application that requires applicants to agree with the federal Liberal party’s policy on abortion.
The government attestation states, in part: “Both the job and the organization’s core mandate respect individual human rights in Canada, including the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as other rights. These include reproductive rights.”
If that is not agreed to online by clicking the box, the form is rejected. The Canadian Council of Christian Charities recommends that charity members who can’t agree to that statement send in a paper application with a reworded attestation stating
“we support all Canadian law, including Charter and human rights law. We believe the minister does not have the jurisdiction under law to compel us to make a statement that conflicts with our conscience rights under the Charter.”
During a town hall meeting last Wednesday in Hamilton, Trudeau was heckled by a woman regarding the $10.5-million payout made last year to Khadr to compensate him for being tortured at Guantanamo Bay.
“In Canada, we defend everyone’s rights, whether or not we agree with them,” Trudeau said.
Stephen Wile, the CEO of the Mustard Seed ministry, which feeds, shelters, counsels and trains thousands of Albertans in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, says the organization’s history of more than 15 years of hiring interns through the Canada Summer Jobs program has led to many of those students remaining with the organization.
“When we hire summer students, it is less about what we receive from them and more about investing in the next generation of social leaders who have compassion and concern for the poor in our society,” said Wile.
In the past, the Mustard Seed has received funding to hire anywhere from 12 to 17 students. That number will be cut in half if it does not receive funding, said Wile.
“The government’s decision to discriminate against those who choose not to take a position on the controversial issue of abortion will hamper our ability to provide this service to the next generation, as well as penalize the most vulnerable we serve,” added Wile.
Lead pastor of First Alliance Church, James Paton, says his large Calgary church is also sending in paper applications but, instead of applying for nine to 12 students, it is only applying for three positions because it doesn’t want to leave its students waiting on an answer.
Trudeau said in Hamilton that he is not trying to stop faith groups from applying for the grants, he just doesn’t want pro-life groups to apply.
“We don’t protest abortion,” said Paton. “But I cannot honestly, in a clear conscience, say that I support terminating human life.”
Barry Bussey, legal director of the CCCC, says “this should not surprise us,” as the PM refuses to allow anyone who doesn’t sign on to his pro-abortion agenda to be a candidate in his party.
“It appears he is using the same approach with government programs. This affects all Canadians,” he said.
But this change doesn’t affect Omar Khadr, or the Aga Khan, or China or Pakistan when they receive millions of dollars from Ottawa. It’s ironic, wrong and infuriating.