“I think it is a sign of the culture.”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

With schools out and summer fully arrived, organizations across the country are putting the final touches on their summer job programs. After the government fiasco of the 2018 Canada Summer Jobs attestation, which barred many churches and ministries from applying for the grant, how do the changes this year shape up?

“There is an attestation in 2019, but it is significantly different than in 2018,” says Bob Davies, the pastoral team leader at Kanata Baptist Church. “The way it came this year; we did not feel there was any compromise needed. That has left us feeling more free. We applied and received the grant.”

Although they applied for the grant last year, to fund their summer camp initiative, they were rejected because they submitted a modified version of the attestation. Davies explains that, like many Christian organizations, they could not sign the required attestation, which affirmed “the organization’s core mandate respect[s]…the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” including the Liberal government’s abortion values.

“The fact that it is a government that appears to be so opposed to Evangelical Christians, it is encouraging to feel that our voice was heard.”

At the time, Davies wrote a very respectful, but clear letter to his member of Parliament (MP) outlining his concerns. The letter was eventually shared nationally through the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and portions were read in the House of Commons by Manitoba MP Ted Falk.

“It felt at the time that the attestation was symptomatic of a certain segment of society that really doesn’t know Christians,” Davies states. “I think it is a sign of the culture, how far they are from things we take for granted as Christians, the perceptions of Evangelicals, and things we can’t compromise on.”

The attestation was widely called a “values test” and received wide-scale condemnation. The government refused strong calls for the attestation’s removal, but promised to review it for 2019. A number of organizations filed law suits for violations of their Charter rights. The cases are still before the courts.

“Instead of an attestation of values, the 2019 application listed projects and job activities which would not be eligible for funding,” says Julia Beazley, Director of Public Policy at the EFC. “These restrictions suggested that it would only be certain limited kinds of job activities that would be ineligible, such as direct advocacy or lobbying, rather than an organization’s beliefs or mandate. This was a welcome change.”

“We did hear from some who were concerned with other aspects of the guidelines—as we were.”

Although the government still refuses to fund pro-life advocacy organizations, Davies says the Church should be encouraged by the development.

“It is not universal for everyone who is affected, but the government seems to have heard us last year and responded. The fact that it is a government that appears to be so opposed to Evangelical Christians, it is encouraging to feel that our voice was heard and they responded. I want to go on good faith as long as you can and assume the best.”

However, both Davies and Beazley have ongoing concerns with the 2019 application process.

“We did hear from some who were concerned with other aspects of the guidelines—as we were,” Beazley says, “including the restrictions on the kinds of activities that could be funded.”

Another concern they both have is that the 2019 values test moved from the application to government staff making decisions on funding. Some of the restricted activities are vaguely defined, which Beazley worries leaves too much room for interpretation at local Service Canada offices.

Among the organizations denied funding this year is “Bible Centred Ministries”, which applied for a grant for their two summer camps.

Looking over the list of organizations that received funding, she adds that those concerns seem to have materialized, in some cases.

“We were contacted by a limited number of organizations who had Service Canada ask for clarification about how their hiring practices are free from discrimination. We also heard of a handful of crisis pregnancy centres who were denied funding this year.”

Among the organizations denied funding this year is “Bible Centred Ministries”, which applied for a grant for their two summer camps for kids, in Halifax and Peterborough. Despite having outlined the camp’s anti-discrimination policies, Service Canada rejected the application saying they “failed to demonstrate” the camps would be discrimination and harassment free.

Bible Centred Ministries is among a smaller group of organizations that have filed law suits over their 2019 funding refusal.

“When we identify policies or laws that don’t uphold religious freedom, that don’t protect human life or recognize human dignity, we are able to engage our elected officials respectfully, and in the electoral process.”

“I think there is some wisdom in the long game,” says Davies, encouraging the Church to stay optimistic. “The legal challenges are still ongoing from last year. There may be some fruit out of those legal challenges.”

While those challenges move through the courts, Davies emphasizes the need for Christian unity, and especially unity among those involved in pro-life work.

“An interesting question is if the Church is abandoning pro-life organizations” in their response to the summer jobs controversy, he says. “When you look at a large church, there are a whole lot of views. It’s not just if an abortion is okay or not, but what is the best path forward. I don’t think we want any people who are trying to do Kingdom work left out in the wind.”

Beazley says some organizations chose not to apply for the grant this year, standing in solidarity with pro-life groups. The EFC encouraged members to follow their consciences about whether or not to apply.

“When we identify policies or laws that don’t uphold religious freedom, that don’t protect human life or recognize human dignity, we are able to engage our elected officials respectfully, and in the electoral process,” Beazley says. “And, of course, God calls us to pray for our leaders.”

“The primary work for us,” Davies adds, “is relational work, with people who disagree with us, saturated with both love and prayer. Those are really important.”