Ottawa

’Our government will not re-open the debate on abortion, at home or abroad’

By Aaron Wherry

Bev Oda writes to the Citizen to clarify the record. Seemingly on the subject of Planned Parenthood, she explains as follows.

In addition, the suggestion that the federal government is on the verge of funding or re-funding any specific organization is inaccurate. CIDA has neither called for, nor received applications from any organizations for funding under Canada’s G8 initiative, therefore no applications have been considered.

Thing is, it’s not entirely clear what the second sentence here has to do with the first sentence.

Planned Parenthood applied to have its funding renewed in June 2009, a full six months before the Prime Minister announced an intention to focus the G8 on maternal health. Ms. Oda, in an interview with Citizen, confirmed that her department has a proposal from Planned Parenthood. And Planned Parenthood has said that there are presently “active discussions” taking place between it and CIDA.