New legislation would make 'crisis pregnancy centres' disclose whether they provide abortion support

The federal government has introduced new legislation requiring charities that offer reproductive health services to disclose whether they provide abortion services or referrals. Organizations that fail to make this clear risk losing their charitable status.

Marci Ien, the minister for women and gender equality, announced the legislation on Tuesday, explaining that it aims to address the spread of "misinformation" by certain crisis pregnancy centres.

"People are walking into pregnancy crisis centres expecting to receive information about all their options," Ien said at a press conference. "Instead, they encounter organizations imposing their anti-choice beliefs."

The new regulations will require any charity providing pregnancy counselling to explicitly inform clients if they do not offer abortion services, referrals, or information about abortion or birth control.

Support for the Legislation

Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, a spokesperson for Action Canada, a pro-choice advocacy group, welcomed the new rules. She highlighted that many anti-abortion charities provide free items like diapers and pregnancy tests but steer people away from abortion care.

"These centres present themselves as though they operate in good faith," Owusu-Akyeeah said. "The biggest issue is their use of deceptive tactics aimed at delaying abortion access for those seeking care."

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada also endorsed the legislation.

"As physicians, we have a duty to support women choosing to terminate a pregnancy and refer them to appropriate services. We expect the same transparency from organizations offering pregnancy counselling," said Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, the organization’s president, in a statement.

Response from Anti-Abortion Groups

Jakki Jeffs, executive director of the Alliance for Life Ontario, which represents 50 anti-abortion organizations, argued that most pregnancy centres are upfront about their stance. Some of these groups currently have charitable status.

"I don't think any of us have an issue being clear about who we are," Jeffs said. "The issue is that the government and those who disagree with us don’t want us here."

Jeffs acknowledged that some individuals contact their centres believing they provide abortions, but insisted, "We don’t pretend to offer those services."

She also raised concerns that some of her members might lose charitable status if the legislation is passed, adding that the organization is still reviewing the proposed rules.

Registered charities benefit from tax advantages, including the ability to issue tax-exempt donation receipts.

During the 2021 federal election, the Liberals pledged to revoke charitable status from anti-abortion organizations offering what they described as "dishonest counselling."

Ien emphasized that the legislation is about ensuring transparency. Reflecting on her own experience with a miscarriage caused by an unviable pregnancy, she expressed the importance of honest communication.

"If I had walked into one of these centres and been told, 'You still have hope of parenting—just wait and don't seek medical care,' I can't imagine that," she said. "This isn't about revoking charitable status if they're being truthful."

Political Context

Owusu-Akyeeah called the announcement "an important first step" but stressed the need to pair it with access to accurate health information.

The Liberals have recently increased their focus on abortion rights, using the issue to put pressure on the Conservative Party, which includes several anti-abortion MPs.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has stated that if elected prime minister, his government would not introduce any laws to restrict abortion. However, questions about the party's stance resurfaced in June after Conservative MP Arnold Viersen advocated for protections for the "pre-born" on a podcast.

Meanwhile, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced that his party would use its next opposition day to debate and vote on a motion calling for improved abortion access and efforts to counter anti-choice initiatives in Canada.

This will likely be the NDP’s only opposition day during the current parliamentary session.

It remains unclear when the Liberal legislation or the NDP motion will be debated, as the House of Commons is currently stalled in a debate over access to documents.