Walking down University Ave. during their last Sidewalk Sale, Ella Marrie Campeau and Claire Rinfret, both ArtSci ’26, encountered Mea Pregnancy Support Services—an organization which immediately raised alarm bells and concerns about the safety of first-year students.
On Sept. 6, the annual Sidewalk Sale—the event organized by the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS)—introduces students to campus organizations, local businesses, and community services.
While walking down the street, both students noticed Mea’s prominent placement at the top of University Ave., which raised concerns for Marrie Campeau and Rinfret. They worried that vulnerable attendees might be misled into sharing personal information or believing the organization offered neutral pregnancy support.
“It took me five minutes on Google to find out [they’re a pregnancy care centre], which are dog whistle for religious-based anti-abortion service,” Marrie Campeau said in an interview with The Journal. “It’s a serious issue, and so I wanted to raise it so that there is a policy change moving forward, and that there’s a statement put out [by ASUS] to prevent possible harm to students who have just collected their information and thought that they were going in with good intent,” Marrie Campeau added.
Elizabeth Sacrey, executive producer at Mea Pregnancy Support Services, said in a statement to The Journal, that the organization provides support for women with unplanned pregnancies, tailored to each mother’s decision.
“If she chooses abortion, we offer information on all of her options, let her know what to expect with the procedure, possible risks, and then we offer post-abortion support afterwards, so she has a safe place to process her experience and emotions,” Sacrey wrote.
When asked about claims that the Mea Centre is pro-life, Sacrey rejected the label, calling the organization “pro-person.” She said this approach treats every person with dignity and respect, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, or ability.
While Sacrey didn’t directly address whether the clinic is anti-abortion, she said they don’t recommend abortions to clients, calling it outside their ‘scope.’ The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, however, lists the organization as an anti-abortion service.
While both students wished to see ASUS issue a public statement clarifying the nature of Mea’s Pregnancy Support Services and to highlight reliable sexual health resources—such as the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response office, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, and SHRC abortion accompaniment services—no such statement has been released yet.
Rinfret further emphasized that while ASUS may have been well-intentioned, there needs to be more thorough vetting of external organizations—particularly those offering health-related services.
“They’re [Mea Pregnancy Support Services] intelligent with their marketing. I get it, that’s like their whole big tenet of what they do. It’s just heartbreaking when they’re successful. I just don’t think they should be permitted in these spaces [Sidewalk Sale] because of the harm they perpetuate,” Rinfret said.
ASUS President, Ivana Drinziu, explained they weren’t aware of the allegations that the Mea Centre was opposed to abortions.
“We weren’t aware that this organization was claimed to hold this stance at the time of the event. At this time, we haven’t received any feedback other than from the student who initially made us aware of this situation. We currently have no proof or statements that suggest they were pushing this view at this event or to our students,” Drinziu wrote in a statement to The Journal.
Drinziu also explained the process for how they select vendors for the Sidewalk Sale, adding that during their review of Mea Centre, their team didn’t find any issues.
“Our process focuses on ensuring organizations align with the event’s purpose of supporting students and the Queen’s community. This includes reviewing applications and assessing how they contribute to the experience. During a review of this business, Orientation Coordinators found nothing that suggested the views of this company were harmful, discriminatory, or judgmental.”
Moving forward, Drinziu said ASUS plans to improve its review process and prioritize promoting internal Queen’s services over external organizations.
“We’re actively reflecting on this year’s event, gathering feedback, and looking at how to improve our processes to ensure that future events better meet the needs of the student body.”
Tags
Abortion, Anti-Abortion, Asus, Policy Change, Sidewalk Sale
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.
John Sherbino
This is that ‘delicate’ juncture where free speech/action collide. The all speech is free and the some speech is costly is what universities do and should deal with all the time. Motives are as complex as people.
The rule I use is listen to what is said. Watch what is done, consider the good and poor outcomes and make a decision. My position, (I’m old and smart) is tell them to take a hike.
Veraine Lockhart
Good piece — clear and to the point. Do you know if the organizers responded to the criticism or issued any policy changes after the event? Also curious whether vendors faced any consequences for hosting the group.
basketball legends gitlab
This article sheds light on the complex issue of organizations like Mea Pregnancy Support Services participating in campus events. Its concerning that students felt misled, and it raises important questions about ASUSs vetting process and the need for transparency on campus.
Sports
This article highlights a crucial issue about transparency and ethical considerations in university events. Its concerning that an organization with potentially misleading practices was able to participate, raising important questions about ASUSs vetting process and its responsibility to protect students.
WORLDCUP
This article highlights a crucial issue regarding transparency in university events. Its concerning that an organization with a controversial stance on abortion was allowed to mislead students. I hope ASUS takes stronger measures to vet vendors and protect students in the future.