Canada – N.B. medical groups call for greater abortion access following Clinic 554 closure

By Silas Brown  Global News
February 5, 2024

Some medical groups are calling on the provincial government to expand access to surgical abortions following the closure of Clinic 554.

Dr. Amanda Black, the president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, says that it’s unacceptable to leave large swaths of the province without local access to surgical abortion procedures. “It shouldn’t depend on what part of the country you live in, all individuals in Canada should have access to certain levels of reproductive care,” she said.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/10273741/clinic-554-closure-medical-groups/


Things have to change: New Brunswick can no longer ignore its responsibility with regards to abortion access

by Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick.
February 2, 2024

Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick (RFNB) is devastated to learn of the definitive closure of Fredericton’s Clinic 554. Yesterday, outside the New Brunswick Legislature, Dr. Adrian Edgar announced that, due to the doubling of the clinic’s rent and the lack of public funding, his team would no longer be able to provide abortion services, effective immediately. In addition to an entire region being denied access to essential health care, this event highlights the current government’s misogynistic and classist legislation.

We call on all New Brunswick politicians to take responsibility for guaranteeing universal, free, safe and bilingual access to abortion care for all pregnant people! Things have to change.

Continued: https://nbmediacoop.org/2024/02/02/things-have-to-change-new-brunswick-can-no-longer-ignore-its-responsibility-with-regards-to-abortion-access-commentary/


Clinic 554 to close, bringing clinic-based abortions to end in Fredericton area

Dr. Adrian Edgar says pro-bono work, increased rent costs are forcing immediate closure of clinic

Aidan Cox · CBC News
Jan 31, 2024

A Fredericton clinic that provides surgical abortions will be closing its doors after Wednesday, with its medical director blaming an unwillingness by the provincial government to allow the procedure to be covered by Medicare.

Dr. Adrian Edgar, the clinic's medical director, announced in 2019 he was being forced to close Clinic 554 over financial pressures incurred from providing pro-bono abortion procedures to women who can't afford to pay for them out of pocket.

On Wednesday, Edgar said the clinic, which has been operating one day a week, will now close completely because of the continuing financial strain from providing the procedure free of charge, and a rent increase at Brunswick Street building that houses the clinic.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/clinic-554-fredericton-abortion-1.7100433


Canada – Allow surgical abortions in N.B. clinics, federal report says

Study says Ottawa lacks ‘straightforward’ authority to force province to improve access

Jacques Poitras · CBC News
Nov 14, 2023

A highly anticipated research study on surgical abortion access in New Brunswick recommends the province allow doctors to perform the procedure in community clinics as a way of eliminating barriers to the procedure.

But the report does not call on the federal government — which commissioned the study — to force the province to act, saying it's not clear Ottawa has a legal leg to stand on.

Its lead author, former University of New Brunswick law professor Jula Hughes, says the data from hospital abortions and those at Fredericton's Clinic 554 proves that "hospital access is just slower."

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/federal-report-calls-on-nb-to-allow-abortions-in-clinics-1.7028034


Inside the Battle for Better Abortion Access In New Brunswick

Sarah Ratchford, Reader's Digest Canada
Nov 10, 2021

Angie Deveau had planned to spend Boxing Day of 2013 lounging in front of the Christmas tree with her family. Instead, she had morning sickness and found herself rushing back and forth to the bathroom. That evening, after she read her three-year-old son his favourite bedtime story, cuddled him, and kissed his forehead goodnight, Deveau took a pregnancy test. She’d already guessed what it would say: positive.

At the time she was 34 and lived in a house in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Though she shared custody with her son’s father, she was the boy’s primary caregiver and had only her part-time income as a researcher to sustain them both. She made $25 per hour, working 15 hours per week, and had all the bills that everyone does: housing, groceries, clothing, utilities, and on it went.

Continued; https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/wellness/inside-the-battle-for-better-abortion-access-in-new-brunswick/ar-AAQyxex


As Texas abortion battle rages, Liberals take aim at access issues — a move that’s left New Brunswick advocates confused

By Steve McKinley, Halifax Bureau
Thu., Sept. 2, 2021

When the Liberal Party of Canada released its platform on Wednesday, one paragraph might have seemed particularly pointed to New Brunswickers.

“A re-elected Liberal government will: Establish
regulations under the Canada Health Act governing accessibility for sexual and
reproductive health services so there is no question, that no matter where
someone lives, that they have access to publicly available sexual and
reproductive health services,” reads the Liberal platform.

Continued: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/09/02/as-texas-abortion-battle-rages-liberals-take-aim-at-access-issues-here-a-move-thats-left-new-brunswick-advocates-confused.html


Canada – Liberals look to push abortion as election wedge issue despite O’Toole’s pro-choice stance

Abortion is one of the key political issues where the Liberals want to distinguish themselves from the Conservatives

Anja Karadeglija
Sep 01, 2021

The Liberals are pledging to update the Canada Health Act to regulate access to abortion services across the country and to use federal health transfers as leverage to ensure provinces abide by the new rules.

The new regulations would mean “there is no question, that no matter where someone lives, that they have access to publicly available sexual and reproductive health services,” states the party’s election platform, released Wednesday.

Continued: https://www.northernnews.ca/news/politics/liberals-attempt-to-push-abortion-as-election-wedge-issue-despite-otooles-pro-choice-stance


Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland visits Clinic 554 in Fredericton

By Nathalie Sturgeon  Global News
Posted July 23, 2021

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Clinic 554 in Fredericton as part of a two-stop tour of the province with MP Jenica Atwin.

Freeland met with clinic staff and discussed the services they provide. They also talked about the struggles the clinic has faced with some of its critical services.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/8056101/deputy-pm-visits-fredericton-clinic-554/


Canada – Deputy PM promises new measures to push New Brunswick to fund abortion clinic

Ottawa first threatened to punish the province in 2019 for its refusal to fund abortions done at Clinic 554

Jacques Poitras · CBC News
Posted: Jul 23, 2021

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Friday that the federal government will announce "in the coming days" how it plans to ensure public funding for abortions at Fredericton's Clinic 554.

Freeland said Ottawa remains committed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promise two years ago that he would "ensure" the province funded the procedure at the clinic.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/chrystia-freeland-abortion-new-brunswick-1.6114863


Canada – Premier’s abortion-access comments feature in group’s lawsuit against the province

Civil liberties group wants to sue province on behalf of all New Brunswick residents

Hadeel Ibrahim · CBC News
Posted: May 17, 2021

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association says it has the right to sue the New Brunswick government for lack of abortion access, partly because the premier made it a legal issue in his public comments.

On Monday, lawyers for the association and the province appeared before Chief Justice Tracey DeWare of the Court of Queen's Bench to argue whether the association has "public interest standing" to sue the province for what it sees as unconstitutional abortion laws.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brusnwick-abortion-access-lawsuit-canadian-civil-liberties-association-1.6029604