Canada Summer Jobs change barring anti-abortion groups was ‘reasonable’: Federal Court

The Liberal government added wording to the Canada Summer Jobs program application in 2017 requiring groups to attest that their core mandates respect human rights in Canada.

A Federal Court judge says it was “reasonable” for Ottawa to require applicants to its summer-jobs program to declare themselves in support of abortion rights in order to get funding.

In a decision Friday, Justice Catherine Kane dismissed a legal challenge to the federal government from Toronto Right to Life, an anti-abortion group, as well as its former president and a student who’d hoped to work at the organization.

The court case came after the Liberal government added wording to the Canada Summer Jobs program application in 2017 that required groups to say neither their core mandates nor the jobs being funded actively worked to undermine constitutional, human and reproductive rights.

READ MORE: Canada Summer Jobs program will no longer fund anti-abortion, anti-gay groups

Faith-based groups felt the wording went against their religious beliefs, so the Liberals reworked the declaration and eligibility rules for 2019 to make applicants say they don’t actively work to infringe on the legal rights of any Canadian.

However, the Federal Court ruling says the program’s original pro-choice attestation fell within the labour minister’s authority and had a “minimal” impact on the court applicants’ charter rights.

“The minister did not act for an improper purpose, rely on irrelevant considerations, or show bad faith or a closed mind in making this decision,” Kane wrote.

“Given that the decision reflects a proportionate balancing, it is a reasonable decision.”