Roe v. Wade abortion ruling raising alarms among Canadian advocates
Roe v. Wade abortion ruling raising alarms among Canadian advocates
Canadian advocates supporting abortion rights caution against complacency regarding protections in place in this country -- after a landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively ending America’s constitutional protections for abortion for the last nearly 50 years.
While abortion was decriminalized in Canada in 1988, no legislation was ever passed to replace it, and the issue remains an ongoing topic of political conversation in this country.
Experts also say that there are several barriers to access to abortion in the country, including geography, equity and immigration status.
“(This) is a signal for us in Canada and around the world to not be complacent with the rights that we have,” Kelly Bowden, director of policy and advocacy at Action Canada, told CTV News Channel.
“While we have a well-protected right to access abortion here in Canada, we should be vigilant about protecting and defending that right.”
The ruling in the U.S. is likely to hit racialized women the hardest, Pam Hrick, the executive director and general council at Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), told CTV News Channel.
“I am angry and I am heartbroken for the millions of women and pregnant people in the United States who are going to be impacted by this decision … and will be forced to carry pregnancies to turn that they do not want to put their health and in some cases, their lives at risk,” she said.
“And, we have to be clear this is not going to be an impact that is equitable across women and pregnant people. It will be disproportionately borne by Black, racialized, poor and otherwise marginalized people.”
Speaking at a press briefing in Rwanda, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will continue to fight to protect the rights of everyone after the "devastating setback" in the United States.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court leak, the Liberal government announced in early May it plans to spend $3.5 million to improve abortion access in Canada. However, advocates have warned that more permanent funding and legislation for sexual and reproductive health care are needed in Canada.
Hrick says that the possibility of improving abortion access in the U.S. now depends on the state level and to what extent they will implement bans on abortions.
“So, there will be I certainly hope, a tremendous fight and focus on state legislatures and people trying to elect pro-choice, progressive people into those positions to make decisions that will actually give and respect the rights of women to be able to access this incredibly important medical procedure,” she said.
Bowden says that abortion rights and access will impact the younger generations of women from racialized and marginalized communities in Canada the most, and these are the faces she’s seeing more of in pro-choice rallies.
“The majority of the people (in pro-choice rallies) were young women, young Trans folks and people of colour who have come out because they know that this is an issue that will impact their lives, their livelihoods, their ability to choose and how and when they want to have families.
“And, I'm proud and pleased to see young people who are standing up and speaking out in defence of these rights. And what we do have them here in Canada,” she said.
Bowden says she advocates a “wait and watch” approach to see if there will be a spillover effect to the overturning of Roe V. Wade in Canada, and that Action Canada will be monitoring the situation closely.
“The actual numerical impact of that is yet to come in the U.S. as well as, enshrined right here in Canada is that Canadians continue to face barriers to access here.
“So, we also need to concentrate on ensuring that our system is strong and that the universal health care of abortion which we are granted as a convenience is actually accessible here as well.”
-------
Have you tried accessing abortion services in Canada?
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, CTVNews.ca wants to hear from Canadians who have had an abortion.
Did you struggle to access abortion services or information in Canada? Was it difficult to secure an appointment?
Tell us your story by emailing dotcom@bellmedia.ca, and include your name and location. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
About 4,000 beagles destined for drug experiments finding new homes
About 4,000 beagles are looking for homes after animal rescue organizations started removing them from a Virginia facility that bred them to be sold to laboratories for drug experiments.

Anne Heche taken off life support, 9 days after car crash
Anne Heche, the Emmy-winning film and television actor whose dramatic Hollywood rise in the 1990s and accomplished career contrasted with personal chapters of turmoil, died of injuries from a fiery car crash. She was 53.
Brothers dead after SUV crashes into North Carolina restaurant, police say
A sport utility vehicle crashed into a North Carolina fast-food restaurant on Sunday, killing two sibling customers, police said.
Weapon in deadly 'Rust' film set shooting could not be fired without pulling the trigger, FBI forensic testing finds
FBI testing of the gun used in the fatal shooting on the movie set of 'Rust' found that the weapon handled by actor Alec Baldwin could not be fired without pulling the trigger while the gun was cocked, according to a newly released forensics report.
U.S. man allegedly drives into fundraiser crowd before killing mother
Pennsylvania state police say a man who was upset about an argument with his mother drove through a crowd at a fundraiser for victims of a recent deadly house fire, killing one person at the event and injuring 17 others, then returned home and beat his mother to death.
Warming climate could see a future California flood become the world's costliest disaster, study suggests
A new study is offering a dire prediction for the U.S. state of California, where scientists say catastrophic flooding could become twice as likely in the future due to the effects of climate change.
Testosterone promotes both aggression and 'cuddling' in gerbils, study finds
A recent study on rodents has found testosterone, despite being commonly associated with aggression, can also foster friendly behaviours in males.
Republicans demand to see affidavit that justified FBI search of Trump's home
Republicans stepped up calls on Sunday for the release of an FBI affidavit showing the underlying justification for its seizure of documents at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.
Norway puts down Freya the walrus that drew Oslo crowds
Authorities in Norway said Sunday they have euthanized a walrus that had drawn crowds of spectators in the Oslo Fjord after concluding that it posed a risk to humans.