Ottawa

’CIDA does not and has not itemized the spectrum of medical interventions performed by every one of these organizations’

By Aaron Wherry

Further to comments made by the minister yesterday, here is an email exchange with Bev Oda’s office last evening. Make of it what you will.

Q. Just to clarify then, since the U.S. approach has been raised, what is the Canadian policy on foreign aid, government funding, non-governmental organizations and abortion?

A. We are not changing our policy. CIDA does not directly fund any project specifically aimed at increasing the availability of abortion. We have not in the past and we will not in the future. CIDA has funded many women’s health initiatives, hospitals and clinics around the world.  CIDA does not and has not itemized the spectrum of medical interventions performed by every one of these organizations.

Q. But the Canadian government has funded groups (Planned Parenthood, for example) that promote access to abortion, correct? In addition to not “directly” funding any project related specifically to abortion, does the Canadian government now plan to avoid funding any groups or organizations (like Planned Parenthood) that include abortion in their mandate?

A. CIDA does not directly fund any project specifically aimed at increasing the availability of abortion. CIDA has funded many women’s health initiatives around the world.  CIDA does not and has not itemized the spectrum of medical interventions performed by every one of these organizations. The G8 initiative does not change existing CIDA programming. IPPF (Planned Parenthood) has submitted an application for funding.  This application is currently being considered.