Carleton Lifeline files notice
OTTAWA – The Carleton pro-life club has filed a Notice of Application for Judicial Review of the policies and decisions of the Carleton University Students Association (CUSA). Carleton Lifeline lost its club status on Nov. 15, 2010 after CUSA applied sections 5 and 6 of their Discrimination on Campus Policy. Section 6 prohibits any effort “that seeks to limit or remove a woman’s right to choose her options in the case of pregnancy.” Yet, Lifeline points out, the CUSA’s constitution promotes freedom of speech regardless of “political affiliation or belief.” The club applied to the court after using all internal appeal mechanisms.
Democrats defend PP funding
WASHINGTON – Congress reached a deal on April 8 preventing a federal government shutdown after Democrats threatened to block any agreement that did not preserve funding for Planned Parenthood. The Republican majority in the House passed a budget in February that would have cut spending by $61 billion and included an amendment introduced by Rep. Mike Pence (R. Ind.) revoking all federal funding for Planned Parenthood introduced. The bill was rejected by the Democrat-controlled Senate. Congress then enacted several temporary bills to keep federal agencies running for the rest of the year, with the most recent one expiring on April 8. At the last minute, both parties agreed on provisions that would be passed the following week by Congress as it became clear that Democrats were willing to allow a government shutdown over Planned Parenthood funding. The new bill will cut spending by $38.5 billion. The Senate agreed to have a separate vote on whether to defund Planned Parenthood, but that effort was defeated. Meanwhile, Republicans succeeded in pushing through a measure that would end taxpayer-funded abortions in Washington. Kristan Hawkins, executive director of Students for Life of America, called the bill a “partial victory” saying in an online letter, “we advanced the ball forward, pushing through the misleading rhetoric on Capitol Hill, and obtained the opportunity for a historic vote.”
