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/

05.02.2024

News

Blaine Higgs

Canadian Civil Liberties Association

New Brunswick Medical Society

Shannon Hardy

Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada

Canada

Health

Human Rights

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

14.11.2023

funding of abortion clinics

Jula Hughes

Mark Holland

Martha Paynter

New Brunswick abortion access

Canada – Rising use of abortion pill shifting the landscape, expert says

Medical abortions now outnumber surgical abortions 2-1 in province

Jacques Poitras · CBC News
May 31, 2023

The increased accessibility of the so-called "abortion pill" in New Brunswick is dramatically changing the reproductive-rights landscape and shifting the terms of the debate, according to an assistant professor at the University of New Brunswick.

Medical abortions, induced by medication, now outnumber surgical abortions by more than two to one, according to new provincial data collected by Martha Paynter, a teacher and researcher in the faculty of nursing.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/abortion-pill-expert-1.6859533

31.05.2023

New Brunswick Abortion Care Network

N.B. health workers launch abortion care network on Morgentaler anniversary

Lyndsay Armstrong The Canadian Press
January 26, 2023

Health-care providers in New Brunswick are launching a new abortion services network ahead of Saturday’s 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Morgentaler decision.

The New Brunswick Abortion Care Network’s 20 founding members _ who are in nursing, pharmacy, family medicine and obstetrics _ aim to increase access to and awareness of provincial abortion care, said Martha Paynter, a nursing professor and spokesperson for the new group.

Continued: https://q107.com/news/9438959/n-b-health-workers-launch-abortion-care-network-on-morgentaler-anniversary/

26.01.2023

New Brunswick Abortion Care Network

Canada

Activism

Health

The State of Abortion Access in Canada

Before patting ourselves on the back for having the right to choose, we should examine pregnancy-termination issues within our borders.

BY : CAITLIN STALL-PAQUET
DEC 8TH, 2022

Last June, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which gave Americans the fundamental right to choose to have an abortion, anxiety, fear and anger increased proportionally throughout the country. The sentiment was understandably echoed on this side of the border too. A loud cry rang out, commensurate to the gut punch delivered by this gigantic step backwards for reproductive rights, which was spurred by an anti-abortion movement that deigns to call itself “pro-life.” However, the “at-least-we’re-not-the-States” attitude often blinds Canadians to our own widespread problems regarding abortion. “You can hold two [opinions] at once—you can both have empathy, support and outrage for [our] colleagues in the U.S. and also say ‘We actually have [access] issues,’” says Dr. Geneviève Bois, a family doctor who splits her time working between Montreal and Whapmagoostui in northern Quebec.

Continued: https://www.ellecanada.com/culture/society/the-state-of-abortion-access-in-canada

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

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/