Community News
Should the Canadian government revoke the charitable status of Crisis Pregnancy Centers? The debate continues
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“The biggest issue with these centres is that they often use very deceptive tactics with the objective to delay abortion access for the people who are looking to get care.” Debbie Owusu-Akyeea (Spokesperson for the pro-choice advocacy group Action Canada)
“This isn’t about revoking people’s charitable status if they’re telling the truth.” Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
The subject matter we are about to explore is highly sensitive and can evoke strong emotions. It’s crucial to acknowledge that there are many valid viewpoints on this issue. I encourage you to engage with this topic thoughtfully, examining the arguments and evidence presented from all sides.
I received an email from a group of concerned Canadian citizens about their thoughts surrounding Trudeau’s government pushing legislation to revoke the charitable status of Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs). This planned legislation would have the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) remove their charitable status by labeling them as “misinformation spreaders” with an “anti-choice agenda.”
I did a little research on the Government of Canada website, and found out that the federal government will introduce legislation to require more transparency from charities providing pregnancy counselling. Specifically, registered charities whose purpose, or one of their main activities is to provide pregnancy and reproductive health support and services, including pregnancy options counselling, would be required to explicitly disclose if they do not provide: abortions, birth control, or referrals to these services. Organizations that do not clearly and prominently provide the required transparency risk losing charitable status.
Marci Ien, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, said the legislation is meant to combat the spread of ‘misinformation’ by some charities that operate crisis pregnancy centres. “People are walking in the doors of pregnancy crisis centres expecting to receive information on all options that are available to them,” Minister Marci said during a press conference.
There are dozens of Crisis Pregnancy Centres (CPCs) operating across Canada. Their goal is to provide a safe place for women facing difficult decisions surrounding pregnancy. Their services often include free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counselling, parenting classes, adoption referral, and post-abortion support.
Women considering abortions, or who have had them in the past, visit these centres for information and to discuss their: wants, needs and fears. The centres are not medical facilities, but places for women to receive supportive, nonjudgmental attitudes they might not get elsewhere. Though it can be difficult to be neutral and balanced, especially if you are a strong pro-life advocate, workers at the CPC are trained to approach conversations from a nonjudgmental perspective.
Losing charitable status will harm Crisis Pregnancy Centers, because they will lose the special government designated status that grants nonprofit organizations the ability to issue out tax receipts to their donors. This is a huge benefit for nonprofits, and the majority of charitable organizations here in Canada use it successfully to raise funds for social causes. Providing a tax receipt to your donors helps charities incentivize you, your family members, friends, and neighbors to donate to their cause.
Anyone who has walked into a Crisis Pregnancy Center knows the value of having charitable status with the CRA since one quickly realizes these loving pro-women centers are constantly operating on the smallest shoestring budgets. They can only provide women the life-affirming support they deserve because of the generosity others can provide.
Concerned citizens are stating strongly that we must ensure this legislation does not get pushed through, especially when these pro-woman charities provide essential, life-changing support to vulnerable women. These nonprofit centers supply baby clothing, emotional support, financial assistance, and post-abortion care to vulnerable women; and what is the cost to any women seeking these services?
It’s 100% FREE! Losing them would be devastating.
I stumbled upon an article titled, “Navigating Crisis Pregnancy Centers: A Scoping Review.” 110 articles were screened and 63 articles were included; the majority were commentaries (31.7%) and qualitative studies (30.2%). Common themes included: CPCs use of unnecessary ultrasounds, manipulation by appearing as abortion clinics, provision of inaccurate information about abortion risks, and targeting marginalized groups. Quantitative studies found Black and low-income individuals were more likely to have reported attending a CPC compared to their White or middle and high-income counterparts.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said that if he’s elected prime minister, his government will not support any legislation to regulate abortion.
This topic is deeply divisive, and it’s easy to become entrenched in our own opinions. However, a true understanding of this issue requires us to step outside our comfort zones and explore the perspectives of others. We invite you to join us in this journey of understanding, even if it means challenging your own preconceived notions.
REFERENCES:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010782423003049
https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7366854
Liberals want pregnancy counselling charities to say if they offer abortion