Catholic high school students in Hamilton can earn volunteer hours by attending anti-abortion prayer demonstrations — but both the premier and education minister say such activities are not appropriate for the mandatory community service required for graduation.

“Each school board is responsible for developing a list of community involvement activities that the board considers acceptable,” Education Minister Mitzie Hunter said in a statement to the Star.

“We expect boards to develop a list of approved activities in consultation” with parent councils and other committees, and “in this case, providing these credits for such use does not seem to be what these community involvement activities were designed for, and we’re currently looking into the matter,” Hunter said.

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At an unrelated announcement Friday, Premier Kathleen Wynne was surprised to learn students were earning credit for anti-abortion activities when asked about the issue by a reporter, who also said teens had allegedly been offered deals to earn more hours than they put in to attend.

“That is the first I’ve heard of that, and I will just say that was never the intention of the 40 hours of volunteer work,” Wynne said. Secondary school students in Ontario must complete 40 hours of community service in order to receive their diploma.

Both the Toronto and Dufferin-Peel Catholic boards say taking part in anti-abortion protests and vigils are not allowable volunteer activities.

The abortion issue has recently resurfaced at Queen’s Park, after Wynne’s Liberal government tabled new legislation to ban protests near clinics, pharmacies that dispense pregnancy termination pills, and the homes of doctors and staff.

Then on Thursday, the Liberals balked when the Progressive Conservatives requested the bill be fast-tracked and approved immediately. The Liberals’ refusal to agree to the request prompted critics to say the government was playing politics, keeping the issue in the news in the hopes of highlighting divisions within the PC party.

Wynne said Friday the harassment of women is “unacceptable, so we will move as quickly as possible” with the hopes of passing the bill before the end of the year.

“But I think it is important, as with all legislation, that the public have an opportunity to weigh in … most legislation needs some amendment in order to get it right.”

Lisa MacLeod, the Progressive Conservative MPP who requested “unanimous consent” for the bill, said the government is now “going to drag their feet until the middle of December” despite earlier talk about the pressing need for such legislation given women are being yelled at and intimidated — even spat on — as they enter abortion clinics.

“They continue to delay the safety of women in Ottawa, and across the province,” said MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton), referring to a string of incidents in the capital in recent months.

MacLeod said the government has fast-tracked at least 12 bills, “so it’s not unprecedented.”

“And the government, to its own credit, already consulted widely on this (bill.) This is unnecessary foot-dragging,” MacLeod said. “Kathleen Wynne is better than that.”

Meanwhile, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board chair Pat Daly said the required 40 community service hours, which his board calls Christian service hours, can include “pro-life activity similar to many other types of social justice issues.”

He said students can earn credit only for the hours they put in.

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The Campaign Life demonstrations are usually held at busy intersections where attendees pray silently and may carry anti-abortion signs, he said.

“This is very, very different than participating” in a protest, he said.

Praying alone or at mass wouldn’t be acceptable for volunteer hours, he said, but in the case of the demonstrations, “students are taking the time … on a Sunday, time from their day to be part of this public prayer. They are not just sitting at home praying.”

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