Canadian pro-life organizations are rejoicing that Planned Parenthood appears poised to lose at least $500 million in taxpayer dollars thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” becoming the law of the land on July 4.
Jeff Gunnarson, the national president of Campaign Life Coalition, the political arm of the Canadian pro-life movement, applauded his U.S. counterparts for achieving a long-desired goal through the Trump administration.
“While the bill only defunds ‘Big Abortion’ for one year, this still marks a momentous and historic victory for pro-life advocates,” said Gunnarson. “For the first time, the U.S. government has officially severed financial ties with an organization that exists to destroy preborn humans.
“What we are witnessing in America is the continued dismantling of the culture of death, not only in the courts, as seen with the Dobbs decision, but now through legislation passed by elected leaders,” continued Gunnarson. “This decision will have a significant impact on America’s future. Countless lives will be saved.”
On June 24, 2022, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe V. Wade, which shifted the authority to regulate abortions to state control.
Echoing Campaign Life, Prolife Alberta also commended the “pro-life leaders, lawmakers and citizens whose tireless advocacy made this defunding possible.” The organization declared that “this funding shift marks a decisive rejection of the idea that ending innocent human life is a form of ‘health care.’”
Planned Parenthood president and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson warned that defunding means “nearly 200 Planned Parenthood health centres in 24 states across the country are at risk of closure. More than 90 per cent of those closures would occur in states where abortion is legal.”
The largest single provider of abortions in the United States — it performed the procedure over 402,000 times from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024 — vowed to challenge this one-year loss of Medicare funding in court immediately. On July 7, Boston-based U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani granted Planned Parenthood’s emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that will prevent the funding cuts against the non-profit from taking effect for two weeks.
The draft of H.R.1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed the House of Representatives on May 22 sought to defund Planned Parenthood for 10 years, but Senate Republicans chose to substantially trim the timeline to ensure the provision was approved by Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough.
Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, cast the tiebreaking vote (51-50) to ensure the omnibus bill’s passage through the Senate on July 1. The House then approved the Senate-amended version 218-214 on July 3.
Prolife Alberta expressed hope that this legislative victory will inspire the culture of life cause in Canada. The organization stated that “while the United States moves forward, our leaders remain silent. It’s time that changed.”
Gunnarson said that “as Canadians, we look to our southern neighbours with hope and determination.” He acknowledged that “we’ve got our work cut out for us,” given that there are no restrictions on abortion and the Government of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy has pledged $700 million over the next decade to sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. This capital will help provide “safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care,” according to a government press release.
“We will continue working and praying for the day when we elect a government that will stop using taxpayer dollars to support abortion — both at home and abroad — and begin building a culture that genuinely supports mothers and protects their children, born and unborn,” said Gunnarson.
