Canada will guarantee border officers know Americans can travel for abortion: Mendicino – National

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says he will likely be speaking with the Canada Border Providers Agency to verify its employees know People searching for abortions can come to Canada for care.

Talking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino said folks within the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether or not they'll have the ability to access abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court advised earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s talking with @CanBorder to ensure there are clear pointers so People who may not be capable to access an abortion can come to Canada to take action. Says capability to take action isn’t in query however he wants to verify issues are clear. pic.twitter.com/qEqVQuUKJT

— Abigail Bimman (@AbigailBimman) Might 4, 2022

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Mendicino mentioned the power of People to return to Canada for abortions just isn't in query, however he wants to be sure that position is obvious to these working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my office is currently working with them to ensure there are clear tips so that girls who might not have the ability to access healthcare together with abortions are able to come to Canada,” he stated.

“If some women want to come to Canada to entry 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 occasion Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “get rid of any ambiguity” that border officials might have as to whether somebody travelling to Canada for an abortion is eligible to enter the nation.

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What's unclear presently is whether or not any data on those people can be shared with American law enforcement or state officials trying to prosecute folks for travelling for an abortion, as some specialists have prompt could be next if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have intensive cross-border data sharing agreements designed to make it easier to flag individuals who may pose a danger to national safety, or who're violating immigration guidelines.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s office, mentioned the federal government does not share normal information relating to the aim of journey for Individuals coming to Canada, “and that would come with those who come to Canada for reproductive health functions.”

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Could Canada develop into an abortion 'safe haven'?

In the context of abortion rights, jurisdictions that provide access to those exterior their borders are sometimes called “safe havens.”

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion access more strongly of their laws within the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Courtroom draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, whereas consultants are also raising the likelihood that for Individuals near the Canadian border, this nation may become their nearest safe haven.

Read more: Roe v. Wade draft ruling places U.S. abortion rights in crosshairs. Right here’s what to know

“I believe the big challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing entry to abortion if Canada turns into a safe haven of Individuals,” stated Dr. Dustin Costescu, an affiliate professor at McMaster University as well as a household planning and sexual well being specialist.

Costescu said all the knowledge available right now suggests there will stay abortion entry in a number of states along the Japanese Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, including New York.

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

“Michigan, however, turns into a bit of a scorching spot in terms of whether abortion is accessible. As we move westward into the U.S. Midwest, that’s the place we see pockets of states that may fall when Roe v Wade falls,” he added.

“Geographically, this is thought of ‘frontier country.’ These are giant distances. But if individuals have to choose to go a whole bunch of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they might come up north.”

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Learn extra: How abortion entry differs across U.S. — and the way overturning Roe v. Wade may change it

Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson is the founding father of the Alberta Abortion Access Community, and works as what’s known as an abortion doula. Meaning her job is helping individuals who need abortions entry them.

The help she and other abortion doulas provide includes help arranging travel, pickup and drop-off at sexual well being clinics or abortion clinics, assist arranging accommodations if an individual has to leave their home group to get the abortion, help accessing accurate data, in addition to emotional help.

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

“Access in Alberta is best than some locations, but nonetheless not nice,” she stated. “We nonetheless have a tough time getting individuals in rural areas into the cities for his or her appointments, especially as a result of there are so few docs that are but prescribing abortion medicine.”

Reinhardt-Simpson said an inflow of individuals coming north could add to those challenges.

“We’re not likely geared up for coping with Albertans who need abortion care. We can not even present comprehensive health companies for women or trans and non-binary people in our own province,” she stated.

“So for certain, if folks did come up right here in massive numbers, there would be a really massive problem.”

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