Anti-abortion group loses initial court bid over summer jobs program
OTTAWA — The federal Liberals have been handed a win in court over a pro-choice requirement attached to the Canada Summer Jobs program, days before the deadline to apply for funding grants.
A Federal Court of Canada judge ruled against a request by an anti-abortion group to suspend the application requirement, which requires groups to affirm their respect for a woman’s right to have an abortion, until the underlying merits of the case could be argued fully.
In the ongoing case, The Right to Life Association and a job-seeking student are asking the Federal Court to quash the government’s decision to add the requirement.
The decision means that the check box on the application form will remain in place ahead of Friday’s deadline to apply for funding designed to create about 70,000 summer jobs for students between the ages of 15 and 30.