Update: MP Brad Trost, a courageous MP who first challenged the IPPF funding, has posted more details about the funding renewal here.

Take Action: Make use of our new Easy Mail letter to send a note (see below) to your MP expressing your disappointment with this decision and encouraging them to not use tax dollars to support activist organizations.

The Harper government has announced renewed funding for International Planned Parenthood Federation, in spite of an outcry from the pro-life community over the past two years and assurances from at least one MP that the funding had stopped. The government has said that this funding will only go to nations where abortion is illegal already. But that is no assurance to those who recognize that IPPF’s mission is to make abortion legal and accessible. Read about one ARPA reader’s experience with speaking to the director of the IPPF here.

 

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The contents of the Easy Mail letter is as follows, but you are encouraged to customize it. Send your Easy Mail letter here.

 

Dear [MP’s Name]

I’m writing to express my disappointment that our federal government has renewed millions of dollars in funding to the International Planned Parenthood Federation after so many Canadians made it clear that this is not something we should be supporting. 

In March of 2010 our House of Commons voted against using Canadian tax dollars to promote abortion in developing nations. Regardless of your personal views about abortion, I respectfully urge you to be consistent with this vote and not fund the International Planned Parenthood Federation or any organization that exists to promote abortion. I realize that the new funding is being directed towards countries where abortion is illegal. Yet this is naive, given that one of the purposes of IPPF is to make abortion legal in places where it is not already.

There is no doubt that abortion is controversial. So why should Canada be taking sides in this debate and going against the consciences of millions of citizens by funding activist organizations that focus on promoting abortion? I have never heard of similar funds supporting the efforts of pro-life organizations. The federal government has a role that is very different from pro-abortion advocacy. It ought to be promoting peace, order, and justice. Most of all, it ought to be defending life, without exceptions.

Please do what you can to stop any current or future spending for the IPPF or similar organizations. I look forward to hearing what you will do towards this effort.