The fuss over student grant attestation

To the editor:

Last December the Trudeau Liberals changed the rules related to summer student employment grants. Now compliance with government ideology related to reproductive rights must be attested to or be disqualified from funding.

Balancing of the rights of the mother against society’s interest in protecting our unborn children is a matter of ethical and moral consequence for each individual. Having the government dictate on this matter of conscience or be defunded, is not only an abuse of taxpayer money but infringes on every Canadian’s freedom of conscience and belief as guaranteed by Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

By demanding an oath of allegiance to their ideology the Trudeau Liberals are defunding the good work of church and non-profit organizations across the country. The National Post reported that Service Canada has rejected 1,561 Canada Summer Job applications this year, compared to 126 in 2016 “suggesting that more than 1,400 applications were rejected for protesting the attestation.” Will the government next require government employees to also verify their beliefs in an attestation?

No matter where you stand on the issue of our unborn children, every Canadian should be concerned when an oath to government ideology is imposed as a criteria for funding. In many countries with one party rule, joining the political party is required for any government funding. Those citizens can only wish to have their fundamental freedoms guaranteed in a Charter of Rights.

We should pay attention when our fundamental freedoms are being removed.

Ron Chisholm,

Truro