Canada will ensure border officers know Individuals can journey for abortion: Mendicino – Nationwide

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says he shall be talking with the Canada Border Services Agency to make sure its staff know Individuals looking for abortions can come to Canada for care.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino stated folks in the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether they will be able to entry abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court docket urged earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s speaking with @CanBorder to ensure there are clear guidelines so Individuals who might not be capable to access an abortion can come to Canada to take action. Says capacity to take action isn’t in question but he desires to make sure issues are clear. pic.twitter.com/qEqVQuUKJT

— Abigail Bimman (@AbigailBimman) May 4, 2022

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Mendicino stated the flexibility of People to come to Canada for abortions isn't in question, but he wants to ensure that place is evident to those working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my workplace is presently working with them to make sure there are clear tips so that girls who could not be capable to access healthcare including abortions are able to come to Canada,” he stated.

“If some women need to come to Canada to access these procedures, I have given them the directive to welcome them,” he added in French.

Mendicino billed the move as a “measure of warning” in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “eliminate any ambiguity” that border officers might have as to whether someone travelling to Canada for an abortion is eligible to enter the country.

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What's unclear at the moment is whether or not any data on those individuals would be shared with American legislation enforcement or state officials looking to prosecute people for travelling for an abortion, as some experts have suggested may very well be subsequent if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have intensive cross-border knowledge sharing agreements designed to make it easier to flag individuals who could pose a threat to nationwide safety, or who're violating immigration guidelines.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s office, stated the federal government doesn't share basic information concerning the aim of travel for People coming to Canada, “and that would include those who come to Canada for reproductive well being functions.”

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion access extra strongly of their laws within the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Courtroom draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, whereas experts are also raising the chance that for Individuals close to the Canadian border, this country might change into their nearest protected haven.

Learn extra: Roe v. Wade draft ruling places U.S. abortion rights in crosshairs. Here’s what to know

“I believe the large challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing access to abortion if Canada turns into a safe haven of Individuals,” mentioned Dr. Dustin Costescu, an associate professor at McMaster University as well as a family planning and sexual health specialist.

Costescu said all the information available proper now suggests there will remain abortion entry in numerous states along the Eastern Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, including New York.

That may mean Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes may not see a “significant” level of spillover.

“Michigan, then again, turns into a bit of a hot spot by way of whether or not abortion is accessible. As we transfer westward into the U.S. Midwest, that’s where we see pockets of states that will fall when Roe v Wade falls,” he added.

“Geographically, that is thought-about ‘frontier nation.’ These are massive distances. But if people have to choose to go hundreds of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they could come up north.”

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Read extra: How abortion entry differs throughout U.S. — and how overturning Roe v. Wade might change it

Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson is the founder of the Alberta Abortion Access Community, and works as what’s referred to as an abortion doula. That means her job is helping people who want abortions entry them.

The assist she and other abortion doulas supply contains help arranging journey, pickup and drop-off at sexual health clinics or abortion clinics, help arranging lodging if a person has to depart their dwelling neighborhood to get the abortion, assist accessing accurate information, in addition to emotional help.

She informed International Information on Tuesday that assets in many components of her province are already stretched.

“Access in Alberta is healthier than some places, but still not great,” she mentioned. “We nonetheless have a tough time getting folks in rural areas into the cities for his or her appointments, especially because there are so few medical doctors which can be but prescribing abortion medicine.”

Reinhardt-Simpson mentioned an influx of individuals coming north could add to those challenges.

“We’re not really geared up for coping with Albertans who want abortion care. We can not even provide comprehensive well being services for girls or trans and non-binary folks in our own province,” she mentioned.

“So for sure, if individuals did come up right here in massive numbers, there could be a very big drawback.”

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