Ottawa wants to crack down on anti-abortion charities

Photo: Adrian Wyld The Canadian Press “We are introducing this bill to ensure that women who want information about their health care options are not misled,” Liberal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said at a news conference.

Nojoud Al Mallees – The Canadian Press and Laura Osman – The Canadian Press in Ottawa

Published and updated October 29

• Canada

The federal government wants to ensure that registered charities that provide family planning and pregnancy services also disclose information about abortion and contraception, or refer women to such services.

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Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced at her weekly news conference Tuesday that she and other ministers, including Health Minister Mark Holland, are tabling legislation to that effect.

The government says it wants to crack down on anti-choice groups that masquerade as comprehensive pregnancy support charities when in reality they are blocking women from accessing services like abortion.

If the bill passes, organizations that fail to disclose their services transparently could lose their tax status as registered charities.

“We are introducing this bill to ensure that women who want information about their health care options are not misled, and we are doing so to ensure that those who mislead Canadian women are not rewarded with subsidies from Canadian taxpayers,” said Minister Freeland.

The Liberals are becoming increasingly vocal on abortion issues as they try to corner the Conservatives, who have several anti-choice MPs in their caucus, on an issue that is at the heart of the U.S. election campaign.

To pass the bill, the minority Liberal government will need the support of at least one opposition party in the House of Commons.

New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh wants to introduce a motion on his party's upcoming opposition day in the House asking other parties to support a commitment to expand access to abortion in Canada.

Mr. Singh said Conservative MPs have introduced several “anti-choice” motions, while the Liberals have not done enough to improve access to abortion in Canada.