The Jake Epp Library in Steinbach is benefiting through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

The program has made headlines after the application process was changed, requiring applicants to check a box on the form indicating they support human rights including reproductive rights such as abortion.

Head Librarian Carolyn Graham says they have been approved for funding many times over the years and this year was no exception. Graham notes they have been approved for a grant worth just over $4,000, allowing them to run their summer reading program at full capacity.

Graham explains the library needed to confirm that both the job and the organization's core mandate respect individual human rights in Canada, including the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as other rights. These include reproductive rights and the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

"We agreed that as a library we are not signing and attesting this for personal reasons or ideas or beliefs, it is as a library itself," says Graham.

She notes the library stands for anything that is not racial, it stands for the freedom to read, intellectual freedom and its hiring is based on no discriminations.

"So in that sense, this question to attest to that really did not create a problem for us," she admits.

Graham says without this funding, the library would have a difficult time maintaining the summer reading club. She says there is no way they could handle the 700 kids with only one employee.

The story is different at Ten Thousand Villages in Steinbach. The store will not be receiving money this year through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

Jason Hiebert is General Manager of Steinbach MCC Community Assistance Centre Inc. He says for the past three years they have applied for funding under this program for the Ten Thousand Villages store. In both 2016 and 2017, their requests were approved. The store uses the money to pay for college students to come in and work. In 2017, they received $4,451.09 in order to fund 16 40-hour weeks.

Hiebert says they applied for funding again this year. With its application, MCC was asked to check off a new box on the form, indicating it supports reproductive rights such as abortion. Hiebert says his organization was not comfortable checking off the attestation box, implemented by the federal government and left it blank.

"We know we have supporters that both would have no problem with us checking off that box and we also have supporters that believe that we should not be applying by checking that box off," explains Hiebert.

Hiebert says MCC had great success with how the program was set up in the past and is disappointed with the change.

Hiebert says without this funding, MCC will probably still hire a student and just absorb those costs. He adds in this way they can continue to help another college student during the summer months.

"They can learn about our non-profit organization and how we're helping artisans across the world," says Hiebert.

He adds their desire as a non-profit organization is to continue to help others in need in the most efficient way possible. Hiebert notes they always appreciate all government funding and in response to this most recent funding situation their hope is that people would democratically engage all levels of government to help find a solution that everyone would agree to.