The government created a mandatory attestation on the application form that states the organization's 'core mandate' must respect reproductive rights

OTTAWA — A pro-choice group that has been urging the government to cut off Canada Summer Jobs funding from pro-life groups now says the wording of the attestation on this year’s form should be changed to address the concerns of churches and religious organizations.

The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada played a large role in kicking off the controversy, as it put out reports last year on the anti-abortion groups that had been getting federal grants through the program. In response, Employment Minister Patty Hajdu’s office said in April 2017 that groups opposing abortions in Liberal-held ridings would not receive any summer jobs grants.

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This year, the Liberal government created a mandatory attestation on the application form that states the organization’s “core mandate” must respect individual human rights, including reproductive rights.

The attestation has already prompted a court challenge from a Toronto anti-abortion group, but also protests from churches and religious groups who say they can’t separate their beliefs from their core mandate, and thus can’t sign the attestation.

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Joyce Arthur, the abortion rights coalition’s executive director, now says the government should amend the statement so religious groups are able to sign it.

“We support the attestation requirement, but unfortunately it has resulted in a lot of confusion and backlash, so we thought as a way of trying to clarify the situation, it might be better if they could clarify the wording,” Arthur said in an interview on Thursday.

“I don’t know how exactly they should reword it precisely, but they need to do something, I think, to clarify it.”

In an email the organization sent to the offices of both Employment Minister Patty Hajdu and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Jan. 12, the coalition thanked the government profusely for adding the attestation, but says there has been “a great deal of confusion” from faith-based organizations.

“May we please recommend that you clarify the wording on your CSJ website to correct the confusions around the requirements, and also to help mitigate the effects of any lawsuits?” the email says.

Arthur said she’s not sure if there will be time to change the attestation this year, but felt it important to speak up regardless. Applications for the program opened on Dec. 19, and close on Feb. 2. MPs’ offices have been hosting information sessions around the country to help guide potential applicants through the process.

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Asked if there was a chance of the attestation being changed, Hajdu’s press secretary, Matt Pascuzzo, provided a short statement that stood by the application process.

“We are committed to ensuring that summer jobs for young Canadians funded by the Government of Canada take place in an environment that respects everybody’s rights, and the application process reflects that commitment,” it said. “Employment and Social Development Canada officials are available to work with any organization that has questions about the application process.”

We support the attestation requirement, but unfortunately it has resulted in a lot of confusion and backlash. Joyce Arthur, the abortion rights coalition's executive director

The attestation is included as a box on the online application that must be checked off in order to submit the proposal. Groups can also submit applications in paper, but must still check off the attestation.

In full, the attestation’s wording says that “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 and the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.”

Trudeau has said the government is not targeting faith-based groups, and told the National Post on Tuesday that the government will work with them to address their concerns.

“On the actual mechanism for this, we’re happy to work with organizations that have concerns,” he said. “Our goal on this is to make sure that an organization that is focused on taking away rights from women and the LGBT community that have been long fought for does not get government funding for summer students.”

The Canada Summer Jobs program provides grants for small businesses, non-profit and public sector organizations to hire summer students. Last year, $220 million paid for about 77,000 placements across the country.

Each year the government sets guidelines for which organizations should be prioritized for grants, though MPs get the final say on who gets funded in their riding. But this is the first year an attestation has been added to the form.