Canada – Shaping the narrative on abortion rights and access

May 23, 2023
WRITTEN BY Christina Palassio (interview with Frédérique Chabot)

While access to abortion is protected in Canada, not everyone who needs an abortion can get one, and public opinion has been affected by ideological shifts in Canada and abroad. Frédérique Chabot, director of domestic health promotion at Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights, talks about policy goals, framing the case for increasing access, and the need to dispel harmful narratives.

The global abortion-rights landscape has shifted significantly over the past decade. Predominantly Catholic countries like Ireland, South Korea, and Argentina that historically opposed abortion have legalized access, driven by sustained public movements like #HomeToVote and the Green Wave. In the U.S., meanwhile, evangelical and alt-right movements have succeeded in dismantling protections for abortion and are feeding a backlash against sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion and gender-affirming care.

Continued: https://thephilanthropist.ca/2023/05/shaping-the-narrative-on-abortion-rights-and-access/


Clinton warns of political forces in Canada trying to turn back the clock

“I would predict that you’re going to have some… forces in your own country that are trying to figure out whether they can tinker with the clock and maybe turn it back a little,” Clinton told the Liberal convention on Friday.

Published May 5, 2023
Marco Vigliotti, Editor-in-Chief

Former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton warned Liberal convention attendees on Friday that the same sort of conservative forces that rolled back the clock on abortion rights are trying to do the same in Canada.

Clinton, who was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, made the remarks during an armchair discussion with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland at the Shaw Centre in downtown Ottawa.

Continued : https://www.ipolitics.ca/news/clinton-warns-of-political-forces-in-canada-trying-to-turn-back-the-clock


Canada – Liberals urged to fulfill promise to cease funding to anti-abortion groups

Carly Weeks, Globe & Mail
July 11, 2022

Abortion rights advocacy groups are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to defend reproductive rights in Canada by denying anti-abortion groups funding and revoking their charity status.

Dozens of crisis pregnancy centres and other anti-abortion groups received federal COVID-19 relief funds and continue to have tax exempt charity status. Mr. Trudeau has been highly critical of crisis pregnancy centres and has promised to revoke their charity status.

Continued: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-crisis-pregnancy-centres-charitable-status/


Canada – New Conservative MP Lewis to fight Liberal plan to axe charity status for anti-abortion pregnancy centres

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press

Thursday, November 25, 2021

OTTAWA -- Leslyn Lewis, in one of her first acts as an MP
on Parliament Hill, says she plans on inviting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to
a pregnancy centre that risks losing its charity status over opposing abortion.

The newly elected Ontario representative revealed her
plans to a recent crowd of demonstrators who gathered in Ottawa to rally
against the Liberal government's promise to remove charity status for
anti-abortion organizations.

Continued: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/new-conservative-mp-lewis-to-fight-liberal-plan-to-axe-charity-status-for-anti-abortion-pregnancy-centres-1.5681824


New Brunswick health authority says ‘no need’ to increase abortion services

By Silas Brown, Global News
July 28, 2021

New Brunswick’s English language health authority says its current level of abortion service is adequate.

A letter sent by Horizon CEO Karen McGrath to the province’s deputy health minister says that demand for surgical abortions at their Moncton clinic are falling and that they aren’t receiving requests for abortion services elsewhere, other than in the Fredericton area.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/8066634/horizon-abortion-services-n-b-adequate/


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 – Officials mum on how much Bank of China, anti-abortion groups got in wage subsidy

By Amanda Connolly , Global News
Posted December 22, 2020

The federal government isn’t saying how much money several Chinese state-owned enterprises and anti-abortion groups got through the wage subsidy.

The Canada Revenue Agency on Monday released a searchable registry of the 339,938 businesses, charities and non-profits that have applied for and received the wage subsidy so far.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/7537512/bank-of-china-wage-subsidy-amount/


Canada must boost foreign aid for feminist agenda to have sustained impact, experts say

Canada must boost foreign aid for feminist agenda to have sustained impact, experts say

Michelle Carbert, Ottawa
Feb 25, 2020

International development experts say the federal government must boost its foreign-aid spending toward the UN target if it wants its feminist agenda to have a meaningful and sustained impact.

The government unveiled its feminist international assistance policy in 2017 as a cornerstone of its foreign agenda. The policy, which focuses on improving the lives of women and girls around the world, came at a critical time for the sexual- and reproductive-health and rights sector. In January of that year, President Donald Trump reinstated the global gag order prohibiting U.S. government financial support for international organizations that provide abortions or give abortion advice, leaving a US$600-million global funding gap.

Continued: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-must-boost-foreign-aid-for-feminist-agenda-to-have-sustained/


International development groups welcome Canada’s $241.5M family planning funding pledge

International development groups welcome Canada’s $241.5M family planning funding pledge

By Levon Sevunts
Tuesday 11 July, 2017

International development and aid groups are welcoming Canada’s commitment to spend up to $241.5 million to support projects that will provide “critical sexual and reproductive health services,” filling some of the void left behind by the Trump administration.

International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau made the announcement at the Family Planning Summit in London, in the United Kingdom, on Tuesday.

Continued at source: Radio Canada International: http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/07/11/international-development-groups-welcome-canadas-241-5m-family-planning-funding-pledge/