United States Blocks Global Funding for Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Again.

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
Jan 27, 2025

In his first week in office, Donald Trump reinstated the Global Gag Rule, re-igniting a crisis for global health and reproductive rights. This policy restricts non-US organizations from receiving US international assistance if they provide, educate, refer or advocate for safe abortion, even with resources from other donors.

First introduced in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, the Global Gag Rule is a policy that has been repeatedly repealed and reinstated depending on the U.S. administration. Research shows that this policy increases maternal mortality, reduces access to contraception, and pushes people toward unsafe abortions.

Continued: https://www.actioncanadashr.org/news/2025-01-27-united-states-blocks-global-funding-sexual-and-reproductive-rights-again

Canadian abortion group says it may have to shutter after losing government funding

Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
Jan 28, 2025

A national group that helps people who have trouble accessing abortion services says it may be forced to shut down in several months after Health Canada declined to renew its funding for the upcoming year.

Abortion Care Canada says it had sought $1.3 million from the federal government's Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund for the next fiscal year but will get nothing, despite having received about $2.2 million in total since the fund was established in 2021.

Continued: https://www.timescolonist.com/health/canadian-abortion-group-says-it-may-have-to-shutter-after-losing-government-funding-10144887

Canada – Liberals take ‘softer approach’ on pledge to revoke charity status for pregnancy counselling

Trudeau had promised to 'no longer provide charity status to anti-abortion organizations' that offer 'dishonest counselling to women'

Stephanie Taylor, National Post
Nov 01, 2024

OTTAWA — Federal New Democrats are criticizing the Liberals’ plan to allow charities offering pregnancy counselling to keep their tax status if they advertise how their services exclude abortion — a move that differs from what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had promised during the last federal election.

In 2021, Trudeau ran on a platform that included a promise to “no longer provide charity status to anti-abortion organizations” that provide “dishonest counselling to women” about their pregnancy options.

Continued: https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/liberals-take-softer-approach-pledge-revoking-charity-status-pregnancy-counselling

New legislation would make ‘crisis pregnancy centres’ disclose whether they provide abortion support

Crisis pregnancy centres that fail to follow proposed rules would risk losing their charitable status

Darren Major · CBC News
Oct 29, 2024

The federal government has introduced legislation that would require charities providing reproductive health services to state clearly whether they offer abortion or abortion referrals.

Organizations that fail to clearly tell their clients whether they provide these services could risk losing their charitable status.

Marci Ien, the minister for women and gender equality, said Tuesday the legislation is meant to combat the spread of "misinformation" by some charities that operate crisis pregnancy centres.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/abortion-services-charitable-status-1.7366854

‘The hope of the country’: Reproductive health activist on El Salvador’s historic abortion case

October 29, 2024
By Tracy Glynn

Wendy Barrera Rivas from El Salvador was one of three youth activists touring eastern Canada this month. At every stop, she shares the story of Beatriz, who she calls “the hope of the country.”

Beatriz was a 21-year-old mother living with lupus and in extreme poverty in El Salvador when she became pregnant with a fetus that was developing without a skull and brain. Doctors advised her to end her pregnancy that was putting her life at risk. Due to a ban on abortion in El Salvador, Beatriz was unable to get an abortion. Her health suffered and tragically, in 2017, she died from injuries sustained in a road accident. She was 27.

Continued: https://www.healthcoalition.ca/youth-activists-tour-canada-to-talk-about-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights/

Why Alabama’s ruling that embryos are children could fuel anti-abortion movement in Canada

Decision also 'chilling' for people seeking IVF, says Canada Research Chair

Natalie Stechyson · CBC News
Feb 22, 2024

A decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law has some reproductive rights advocates and fertility law experts in Canada concerned about a potential ripple effect.

The worry isn't necessarily that a decision like the one in Alabama, that was issued in wrongful death cases brought by couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident, could happen here, experts say.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/alabama-court-embryos-1.7121293

Canada – Mysterious robocall survey polling Albertans on parental consent for abortions

Mark Villani and Brendan Ellis, CTV News
Feb. 2, 2024

A mysterious phone survey is making the rounds in Alberta, asking residents if minors should need parental consent to get an abortion -- but it's not clear who initiated the campaign. Many Albertans started receiving the call on Thursday night.

"Minors do not, however, require the consent of their parents to get an abortion in Alberta, nor is it required for parents to even be notified about their minor child's abortion," part of the pre-recorded message said.

Continued: https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/mysterious-robocall-survey-polling-albertans-on-parental-consent-for-abortions-1.6754063

02.02.2024

News

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

Alissa Golob

anti-choice harassment

Betsy Jameson

Dr. Jillian Demontigny

Frederique Chabot

Lars Hallstrom

parental consent for abortion

Canada – Decriminalizing Abortion: A Journey Towards Access and Equity

Dec 6, 2023
Written by Clare Szalay Timbo, Executive Director at The SexEd Justice Project, and Andrea Rodriguez, Policy and Advocacy Officer at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the country’s abortion law as unconstitutional, asserting that it violated women’s Charter rights to the security of the person. Since then, abortion has been removed from the Criminal Code and is treated and regulated as a medical procedure. Canada stands out globally as one of only a few countries without specific legal restrictions on abortion.

The full decriminalization of abortion is a critical step towards recognition that abortion is a fundamental human right and ensuring universal access to abortion care. Importantly, decriminalizing abortion preserves legal protections for harms against pregnant people, such as forced abortions or other types of physical harm.

Continued: https://www.actioncanadashr.org/news/2023-12-06-decriminalizing-abortion-journey-towards-access-and-equity

06.12.2023

Commentary

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

Andrea Rodriguez

Canada Health Act

Clare Szalay Timbo

decriminalization of abortion

NAF Canada

SexEd Justice Project

Supreme Court of Canada

Canada – How pro-life bias is limiting reproductive healthcare access in rural Ontario

Right-to-life groups are increasing stigma and barriers to preventing and eliminating pregnancies

By Mary Baxter
August 2, 2023

After the condom broke, Amanda’s* boyfriend hurried to the drugstore to get the morning-after pill. Anxiety eddied as Amanda waited for him to return. The teenage couple had experienced pregnancy scares before but had never resorted to emergency contraception. A baby couldn’t be in the picture yet, Amanda knew.

In 2018, Amanda was 19 years old. The teen from Chatham-Kent, a rural municipality in southwestern Ontario, had dropped out of high school in Grade 11. They struggled with mental health and lived with their parents. They were unemployed. Their boyfriend, the same age, hit them.

Continued: https://broadview.org/abortion-access-rural/

02.08.2023

Commentary

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

abortion stigma

access to abortion

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

anti-choice bias

anti-choice deception

anti-choice lies

anti-choice misinformation

anti-choice stigma

April Rietdyk

B.J. Kivell

British Columbia Humanist Association

Carolyn Martin

Chatham-Kent Public Health

Christine Button

emergency contraception

Frédérique Chabot

Jen Belcher

Joyce Arthur

Lambton Public Health

Ontario Medical Association

Ontario Pharmacists Association

Refuge CPC

Right to Life Kent

sexual and reproductive health services

Sheila dunn

Shore Centre

TK Pritchard

Women’s College Hospital

Canada – Her obituary requested donations to an abortion clinic. It’s a final political act for some

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, a number of people have made donations to the pro-choice movement in Canada

Natalie Stechyson · CBC News
Posted: Jul 18, 2023

At first glance, Kathleen Dyer's obituary might seem like any other.

Beneath the photo of a smiling, older woman, we learn the basics: Dyer, who was living in Halifax, died on June 14 at age 84. She is survived by her husband, her son and his wife, and two sisters-in-law. But it's the third and final line that stands out: In lieu of flowers, Dyer asked for donations to the Nova Scotia Women's Choice Clinic.

The clinic, which performs medical and surgical abortions, doesn't know Dyer, except that she had once sent them a donation. And Dyer, who dedicated her life to supporting her husband and raising her children, wasn't a known abortion advocate.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/abortion-donations-canada-1.6909124

18.07.2023