Those that fail to follow the proposed rules would risk losing their charitable status.
The Liberal government of Canada introduced legislation on 29 October 2024 to require charities that offer “pregnancy counselling” to disclose whether they also offer abortion and birth control services or referral for these services. If the legislation is passed, organizations that don’t clearly disclose this information would be at risk of losing their charitable status, according to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and other cabinet ministers.
“Far too often, women across Canada seeking birth control and abortion care face judgment, they face misinformation and fear tactics, when all they really need are clear answers and compassionate support,” said Women and Gender Equality Minister Marci Ien, who tabled the legislation.
She said the legislation is meant to combat the spread of “misinformation” by so-called ‘crisis pregnancy centres’ who do not provide any information or help to have an abortion but instead try to attract women for counselling in order to offer them help to continue their pregnancies even when they do not wish to do so.
SOURCES: CBC News, by Darren Major, 29 October 2024 ; Global News Canada, by Sean Boynton, 29 October 2024