Articles

Dear Mrs. Wagantall, We would like to express our support for your private member’s bill, C-311, the Violence Against Pregnant Women Act. When the courts consider factors that make a crime more serious and influence sentencing, Bill C-311 would specifically include knowingly abusing and harming a pregnant woman as an aggravating factor. The gravity of a criminal offence is reflected in sentencing. This bill would signal that knowingly abusing a pregnant woman is a serious c

Bill C-311 would make the abuse and harm of a pregnant woman a factor for judges to consider in sentencing. It would signal that harming a pregnant woman is a serious crime and may mean a longer sentence for those who commit violence against a pregnant woman. MP Cathay Wagantall introduced Bill C-311 in the House of Commons on January 31, 2023. It would specify that, in sentencing decisions, courts should consider whether offenders abused women they knew to be pregnant or cau

The EFC made a submission to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) consultations in November 2022. The EFC asked the CPSO to make sure that discussions about MAID are only initiated by patients, not doctors. The EFC also asked the CPSO to protect doctor’s conscience rights and to push for MAID to be included as the cause of death on death certificates. The consultations were on the CPSO Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) and Human Rights in the Provision of

Hon. Chrystia Freeland Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Department of Finance Canada 90 Elgin Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G5 Dear Minister Freeland, We are writing to ask for clarification and to express our deep concern about possible changes to charitable status in Canada. In the December 2021 mandate letter, the prime minister outlined priorities for you, including to: “Introduce amendments to the Income Tax Act to make anti-abortion organizations that pr

The Hon. David Lametti Minister of Justice and Attorney General 284 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8 Dear Minister Lametti, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (the EFC) applauds the federal government’s defence of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) before the Ontario Superior Court in CASWLR v. Canada this fall. The EFC supports PCEPA as an essential tool in the fight against sexual exploitation. We fully agree with the objectives

Honouring the faithful and excellent service of Bruce J. Clemenger’s 30 plus years with the EFC, where for 20 years he has led as CEO and President, and recognizing David Guretzki’s leadership and his own unique gifting and expertise, the Board of the EFC is pleased to announce new senior leadership roles for the EFC. [UPDATE: See more in the EFC Update newsletter of Jan. 31, 2023] Effective January 31, 2023, Bruce J. Clemenger will be appointed to a new role as Senior Ambass

A private member’s bill would change references to “child pornography” in the Criminal Code to the more accurate term “child sexual abuse material.” MP Mel Arnold introduced Bill C-291 in the House of Commons on June 17, 2022. The term “child pornography” is inaccurate and harmful. Sexually explicit images and videos depicting children are child sexual exploitation, assault and abuse. Terms like “child pornography” risk normalizing, trivializing and legitimizing the sexual

Dear Mr. Mel Arnold, MP, Thank you for taking the initiative to introduce Bill C-291. The words we use matter. The term “child pornography” is not just inaccurate, it’s harmful. Using the term “pornography” in the context of children infers that the child is a willing participant when in fact they are the victim of a horrific crime. Sexually explicit images and videos depicting children cannot be considered “pornography” – they are child sexual exploitation, assault and ab

This important case in Ontario Superior Court upheld Canada's prostitution law Sept. 18, 2023. The EFC released a statement celebrating this decision and also signed onto a joint statement from a national working group of survivors of prostitution, service providers and advocates. The EFC intervened in the case in Oct. 2022 since it was a constitutional challenge to Canada’s laws on prostitution. The challenge was launched by the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform. Int