Save Canada’s Crisis Pregnancy Centres!
Dear Honourable Members of Parliament:
Before the 2021 election, the Liberal Party in its Election Platform issued a blanket condemnation of all pro-life groups across Canada. They falsely claimed: “anti-choice organizations are actively working to spread misinformation about abortion, putting the health and safety of young people and vulnerable women at risk.”
Without any facts to back up their charge, the Liberals went on to make this promise: “A re-elected Liberal government will... no longer provide charity status to anti-abortion organizations (for example, Crisis Pregnancy Centres) that provide dishonest counseling to women about their rights and about the options available to them at all stages of the pregnancy.”
If the Liberal government follows its Platform, scores of Crisis Pregnancy Centres and hundreds of pro-life community service organizations across this country will be at risk of closure. Without charitable status, they will be literally taxed out of existence. That will deal an enormous blow to the thousands of women these entities support both before and after childbirth.
According to Pregnancy Care Canada, a national Crisis Pregnancy organization, over 30,000 individuals accessed help last year from their 80 affiliated Pregnancy Care Centres. Over 7,000 clients received material supplies such as diapers, formula, and clothing. Over 600 women requested and received post-abortion support.
Thousands of precious children were given the opportunity to see the light of day.
Crisis Pregnancy Centres make an invaluable contribution to Canadian society, providing resources, support, supplies, information, and options to women facing an unexpected or challenging pregnancy. The women served by these organizations seek out their assistance freely, and they are never forced to choose life for their babies.
Without these organizations, women in crisis would have fewer options and fewer supports for them in their pregnancy experience. In fact, most would feel they have only one choice: abortion. And one choice means no choice at all!
Furthermore, if the Liberal government succeeds in revoking the charitable status of Crisis Pregnancy Centres, what will stop them from introducing a new type of “Liberal Values Test” for all types of charities – including churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, camps, soup kitchens, and food banks? If any of these groups holds to a pro-life perspective, they may lose their status and face closure.
I cannot believe that you, dear Member of Parliament, would want to see the diminishment of our communities and the abandonment of people in need by the removal of charitable status for organizations that have pro-life convictions. That is why I am asking you to oppose any bill, motion, or regulatory policy that seeks to penalize Crisis Pregnancy Centres in Canada.
Sincerely,
[ The Undersigned ]